In the DEAD of the NIght
by Draco38
Summary: We return to the Living with the DEAD story line with a new installment co-authored by myself and MarshalZhukov. Alex and Misa along with their British Marine comrades chart new courses on the seas of the dead world and work to retake Japan. A/U All HotD characters as well as those from On Her Majesty's DEADly Service.
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to the next installment in the Living with the Dead series. In the DEAD of the Night is a sequel to my Blood of the Dead and Living with the Dead as well as the British Marine stories by MarshalZhukov

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters.

* * *

Chapter 1

 _Ikeijima Island, Okinawan Island chain, Japan. ZDay+50_

The road had been long, hard and dangerous, but Sir Harold Anson, formerly the British ambassador to Japan, made the formal declaration to abandon Ikei. The few surviving Royal Marines were tired and too few in numbers to defend even that tiny spit of land against Them.

"I'm sorry, Blake," Sir Harold informed the Sergeant Major. "I have already made arrangements with the US forces on Okinawa. They have secured the island and offer us a place with them."

"Sir Harold, I must protest. To leave Ikei is to undo everything we have worked so hard to achieve here."

Sir Harold gently stroked a vestigial goatee then adjusted his tinted glasses. "I understand your unwillingness to abandon the field, Sergeant Major. I am an ex-professional soldier myself, but you must try and see things from my end. I have the lives of over one hundred souls in my care. I cannot risk even one more should the dead find our last, best place here."

Blake shifted in his parade rest before clearing his throat. "Sir Harold, it would not be a great expenditure to send a small party back to the bridge and ensure the barricade is still in place."

"And if it is still in place?" Sir Harold asked. "From where do you suppose the first of Them came upon this island? Washed up on a beach unannounced, I imagine. No, Sergeant Major. It happened once before, even with vigilant patrols. We are now too few to maintain such a watch."

Blake chanced a glance out the office window behind the ambassador. Through the autumn haze, he saw the small flotilla as it advanced from Okinawa-jima, with all intention of picking up the remaining survivors.

"It would seem the Americans have arrived, Sir Harold." The ambassador spun in his chair as Blake gestured out the window. He stood and beckoned Blake to follow.

Standing on the balcony, the men overlooked the last of the survivors as they gathered up whatever they had, some carrying as little as one plastic grocery sack. The last raids into the village had cost Blake one of his detachment and the man would be missed.

"Blake," Sir Harold clasped his shoulder. "This is not a retreat. We are simply withdrawing to regroup and re-organize. There will come a day, in the not distant future when we shall reclaim this land once again. Have faith in that."

Blake nodded. He turned, saluted Sir Harold and left to rejoin his men.

000

It was sunny and warm on the island that day, but even so there seemed to be a gloom over the Phillips home. This had been their wedding house and where they had adopted their foster daughters, Alex Schweiger and Misa Kinoshita. The downfall of civilization and the outbreak had thrown them together, but also joined them in a tight nit family.

"Mi-chan, do you have everything?" Alex stood next to Misa and shouldered the go-bag. The breeze felt good as it ruffled through her close-cropped ginger locks. Her stature afforded her a clear view over the heads of most of her travel-mates. Misa took the opportunity to sort through her backpack once more. She turned and nodded. Alex returned her naginata then ran a hand through the petite girl's light violet hair.

"Let's go," Sergeant Shaun Phillips said as he struggled with Baby Megumi squirming in his grasp. Alex offered to take the child to which Shaun gladly relented. His wife Asuka slipped in behind him and took his hand. "Right, your group is next, my dear," he said. "Look after the girls until I arrive. I have assurances from the ambassador that the quarters we have been assigned will meet with your satisfaction."

"How long…?" Asuka let her thought go.

Shaun smiled and kissed her gently on the forehead before locking his hazel eyes to her deep green. "I will be in the next transport, not ten minutes astern. I have to remain behind to close out the ryokan and secure it best we can for when we do return. Don't worry; Davis, Edmonds and Sharpe will be with me."

Asuka spared a worried look, but let it soften as she herded her girls aboard the LCAC hovercraft. Miyagi Island survivor Andrea Jensen ran up and boarded as they watched Shaun join up with the remaining British personnel. Megumi squalled as the roar of the engines proved too great a disturbance. Nothing any of the women could do seemed to calm the baby and they simply resigned themselves to letting her cry herself out.

"Mind if I stick with you, Asuka-san?" Andrea asked as she waved at her boyfriend, Lance Corporal Edmonds, on the beach.

"Not at all, Andrea-san; the more the merrier," Asuka replied.

The family took a place near the bow loading ramp as far from the engines as possible, but there was still too much noise. They remained quiet for the remainder of the trip across Kinbu Bay.

They were met on the beach by a small platoon of mixed uniforms, all belonging to US personnel. The group were lead up the street to the public library overlooking the harbor. One man Alex immediately recognized as a soldier they had seen before; stepped forward and handed the collected survivors clipboards with information sheets attached. "Please fill these out and be as accurate as possible. This will help us in billeting you and providing supplies and work schedules," he called out.

"Once again, Army paperwork is woefully behind," Alex snickered as she put pen to paper. Misa shared her laugh. Asuka volunteered to hold the baby until the girls had filled out their sheets.

"Didn't we do this once before?" Misa asked.

"I think this is for the Marines," Asuka said. "They are the military government in charge on Okinawa. Besides, every time there is a congregation of survivors from any event, the paperwork has to be done anew."

"How do you know that, nee-chan?" Misa asked.

"I survived the Kobe quake in '95. I was just a middle schooler then, but my mom took me to the shelter. We moved several times as the survivor group grew and each time, we had more paperwork to fill out."

"Are you from Kansai?" Misa perked up at a native name.

Asuka chuckled and shook her head. "I was born and raised in Tokyo. I was in Kobe visiting my father's relatives. Sorry, Mi-chan."

"Shouganai-ne," Misa said. "It can't be helped. Here, I'll take the baby."

Asuka handed Megumi over and completed her own paperwork. The soldier stopped by and noticed Alex wearing her ACU trousers.

"Where'd you come by those, miss?"

"Camp Zama," Alex said. "We were gathered there before being sent to Haneda and then to Ikei. Lieutenant-Colonel Franco gave them to me."

"You mean Colonel Franco?" the soldier said. "The General promoted him to full bird a few weeks after the fiasco at Zama and his quick thinking in saving most of us there."

"What happened at Zama?" Alex stood to full height, just taller than the soldier. "Were you overrun?"

The soldier cast his eyes down, "Just a few days after you all left for Haneda, They got into the wire. Caused a lot of trouble for us and we lost the whole motor pool unit in the fight. We barely managed to get out with light equipment. All our trucks, tanks and heavy stuff are still there, though we get intermittent calls from one of our brigade commanders who says he is working his way down the coast with trucks, Strykers and his Bradley."

It was this moment that Alex took a good look at the soldier she was talking to. "Aren't you PFC 'Little Joe' Savalas? The one who escorted us into the bunkers our first night at Zama?"

"Sure am," Savalas said. "Only, it's Corporal now." He flashed his chevrons with a hint of pride. "When you are finished, I'll take your papers."

Alex and Misa handed theirs while Savalas excused himself to make the rounds. He returned with a stack and collected Asuka's. "How long will we have to wait, Corporal?" Asuka asked. "I want to make sure the baby gets a nap."

"I'll get these over to my captain and he'll get you sorted out right away, ma'am."

The Ikei group milled about the Ishikawa library. Misa handed Megumi to Alex then excused herself and wandered the stacks. She came back with a small book on Okinawan history. "Seems kinda silly, now," she said. "After all that hard work getting into and out of Osaka*…losing the pilot and getting Ah-chan shot. All just to end up here, in a secure location with all the books I could ever want."

Asuka took Misa into an embrace. "You couldn't know what awaited you here, Mi-chan."

"But, I should have listened to you," Misa said. "You even told me to come here. Instead, I pig-headedly set off on a wasteful endeavor and got my love injured for my efforts."

"Now is not the time for self-recriminations or doubts, Mi-chan," Asuka said. "You are now at a time in your life where you need to set aside second guessing and be strong; for you, for Ah-chan and for little Megumi."

Savalas came up to them at that moment and politely cleared his throat. "If you folks will come with me, the Colonel wants to see you."

Misa put the book on a reading table and took the baby from Alex. Alex and Asuka, along with Andrea, gathered their kit and followed Savalas. The captain stepped out of a waiting Humvee and bade them all enter.

After a short ride into Camp Schwab, the women were deposited in front of Marine HQ where Col. Franco met them on the front steps.

"Alexis," he said with a salute. "When I heard that Ikei had been overrun, I feared the worst. I can see now that you are truly The Major's daughter."

Alex blushed and choked a tear at the mention of her father, "Thank you, Colonel, and congratulations on your promotion."

"A field promotion doesn't mean much, Alexis. Not until the top brass stamps their approval, but thanks."

"I hate to interrupt…" Asuka cleared her throat.

"My God, where are my manners, please come inside."

Franco led the women into the officer's mess and offered them a late lunch. The offer was gratefully accepted and they all ate their fill.

"It's good you all are here," Franco said as he blew over his cup of steaming coffee. "A couple of weeks ago, just before Ikei fell, I received an official summons from the Imperial Palace."

Asuka and Misa both cocked their eyebrows. "When you say, 'the Imperial Palace'…" Asuka said.

Franco smiled. "It would seem the Emperor of Japan is blessed with phenomenal good luck as well as highly skilled and dedicated retainers. The Palace has been relocated to Tokashiki Island, to our southwest. We are on friendly terms right now, seeing as how we are the only power left in the region with the resources to hold this portion of the islands. There is a plan on sweeping the rest of this archipelago and retaking Ikei."

"Forgive me, Colonel, but you mentioned a summons?" Misa said. Megumi had fallen asleep in her arms, so she was careful not to wake her.

"Ah, right. The summons," Franco took a sip of his coffee. "I hop a bird over and I'm met on the tarmac by a couple of officials, the top brass as it were. One asked if I knew of anyone matching your name and description." Franco nodded to Alex. "I said yes, I met you once and that you were on Ikei, last I heard from the British. The man smiled and handed over a scroll and asked me to present you with an invitation to visit. I have it in my office." Alex and Misa glanced at each other as Franco smiled. Asuka cleared her plate and gathered those of everyone else. "You want to see it, don't you?"

"By all means," Alex said, her curiosity piqued. She took the baby from Misa and cradled it in her arms while Misa took the opportunity to stand. The four women followed Franco to his new office and sat wherever they could. Franco opened the wall safe and handed over a very impressive scroll.

Alex frowned as she struggled to read the formal script. "May I?" Asuka offered, her hand open. Alex handed over the scroll and sat next to Misa on a loveseat. Asuka cleared her throat.

"By the Grace of the Heavens, the Emperor of All Japan decrees it be known by his hand.

The Minister of Domestic Affairs and Master of the Personal Bodyguard, the Lord Protector, extends his personal welcome to Sergeant Shaun Phillips, serving Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, his family and those who dwell with him, and offers them sanctuary within the compound of the Busujima family, should they choose to accept.

Be it known, by the Hand of The Emperor."

"So, um…" Alex mumbled. "We're going to see the Emperor?"

"It would seem so," Misa said.

"But what about this Lord Vader, or whatever," Alex snickered. Misa gently backhanded Alex on the shoulder with a playful scowl. "The name Busujima, I haven't heard it since…well I wonder if they have something to do with Saeko-senpai?" she let herself trail off.

"I can get you on the next flight out," Franco offered.

"We would be honored," Asuka said. "But I am still waiting on my husband. I don't wish to be separated from him for too long."

"Understood, ma'am," Franco said. "I'll put y'all up in the MEQs until he gets in, then put you on a bird."

"Thank you, Colonel," Asuka stood and bowed. "Once again, we are thankful for your graciousness."

Alex helped Misa stand.

"What did he say?" Misa asked Alex as they followed Franco to the door. "All that military jargon went right over my head."

"My apologies, Miss Kinoshita," Franco called over his shoulder. "I forget that I'm dealing with civilians. MEQ is married enlisted quarters and a bird in this case refers to a helicopter. Really, it's any flying craft."

Misa bowed her head. "Thank you, Colonel."

Once they reached the main door, Franco told the driver to take them over to the base housing and to make sure they get whatever they need.

Asuka paced the walk just outside the house as Andrea sat on the stoop. Alex and Misa took Megumi into a bedroom and placed her in another makeshift cradle and took turns watching over her.

000

The US Marines consented to spare an Osprey as it would not be just the Phillips' household, but the entire remaining compliment of Royal Marines flying on to Tokashiki.

"This is a familiar ride, eh Corporal?" Shaun called over to Davis.

"It is," Davis said. "Only this time you are with family instead of trinkets."

"The greatest gift of all," Shaun said, smiling at Asuka and the baby she carried within her.

000

 _Tokashiki Island: Imperial Palace compound of the Emperor of Japan,_

The Osprey touched down outside a posh inn consisting of several individual villas. As the bird powered down, the ramp opened and the party was met by several men, each dressed in Victorian-inspired high collar military dress uniforms. One man broke from the others and approached.

"I am Sergeant Kurita Hohiro, aide de camp to Lord Busujima," he said with a bow. "I bid you welcome to the Imperial Palace."

Blake stepped forward and offered a formal salute. "I am Sergeant Major RJF Blake. On behalf of my men and those in my company, I accept your most gracious offer."

Kurita bowed once again and gestured the group follow. They were led to a small complex of villas apart from the main buildings. "Here are your quarters, gentlemen," he bowed once again to the Royal Marines. "As honored guests of the Emperor, you will be given that which you need to make your stay comfortable. A fresh set of clothing, bathing supplies and bedding will be made available. Please relax. A messenger will be along shortly to escort you into the Divine Presence." Kurita turned to Shaun and his family. "Sergeant Phillips, if you and your family would please follow me."

Shaun, Asuka and the girls followed Kurita a short distance to a larger villa. Kurita bowed and opened the door. "This will be your home for as long as you wish it so."

Shaun bowed to Kurita. "His Imperial Majesty graces this family with far more than can ever be expected, or repaid."

Kurita smiled, "The Emperor knows of your service to his people on Izu Peninsula. He wishes for you to honor The Presence with your audience that he may thank you in person."

"Please relay to His Majesty that the honor is mine and I await his summons."

Andrea took the opportunity to clear her throat. "Where do I bunk?"

Kurita cocked his head slightly, "I presumed you are a member of the Phillips' household. Is this incorrect?"

Andrea smiled and blushed slightly, "I wouldn't say that," she said. "More like a friend of the family."

Kurita scratched his head before he bowed. "I apologize for my error. I will see to it the Ladies of the Court find you suitable accommodations, Jensen-san. Please accompany me to the main villa."

Andrea smiled and fell into step behind Kurita and his retinue.

Alex and Misa wasted no time in finding a room that suited them. They staked claim to one overlooking the sea, a private door opening onto the verandah that encircled the whole house. Misa took Alex's cue and made up a cradle from spare bedding and put the baby down to sleep. Asuka surveyed the suite, and while not as nice as the home she shared with Shaun on their first nights, it was far nicer than military housing and equally as spacious as the home she had secured on Ikei. She took the family's belongings into what would become the master bedroom and proceeded to sort through everything. Finished, she made her way into the bath and drew the tap.

"Anata," she called out to Shaun as he surveyed the cliffs falling away from the lawn. "I have the bath ready for you. Come inside before it gets cold."

"Be in shortly, my love," he called back. "Give me a chance to lay out a few things while there is still day light."

"I'm sure the Imperial Guard has matters well in hand to keep us safe for one night," Asuka chuckled. "Rest your mind and your body for your meeting with the Emperor."

"Yes, ma'am," Shaun laughed as he bounded into the house. He swept Asuka into a brief hug before she broke free and undressed him.

000

Sunset came and the knock at the door was hardly unexpected. Asuka opened it to greet Kurita and one other man. Kurita smiled. "I see you are dressed properly for such a formal occasion."

Shaun settled the seams to his light grey hakama and fiddled with the collar to his haori. Asuka straightened the hem to her tastefully simple peach kimono and helped Shaun adjust everything. "Alex and Misa will be staying behind," Shaun said in answer to Kurita's unasked question. "They are looking after the baby and it's been a very long day for all of them."

"Then we shall endeavor to keep our visit short," Kurita said with a slight nod.

000

Shaun knelt on the floor as befit his station near the center of the reception hall, while Asuka assumed a keeling seiza two paces behind. To either side of them, similarly garbed men in semi-formal kimono, all with the chrysanthemum embroidered on their breast and matched long and short swords tucked into their obi, lined the hall. At the single ring of a brass gong, the retainers turned to the dais and bowed. A second ring and the curtains covering the dais opened, revealing a man, barely into his forties with graying hair, sat lightly upon a richly embroidered cushion.

"You are Sergeant Shaun Phillips, the British Army, are you not?" the young Emperor spoke in impeccable English.

Shaun bowed his head, "I am, your Majesty, Corps of Royal Engineers. My wife and I are humbled and honored by your invitation."

"We would extend our thanks to you for your service in establishing a safe haven for our people during these apocalyptic times. That a soldier from foreign lands would place himself in such grave danger to help those he has no attachment to pleases us immensely."

"Your Majesty is far too kind," Shaun said. "I am merely a soldier doing his duty. As for going into harm's way, I would dare say the lot of the US personnel was far more dangerous than my own. It was they who ensured I could conduct my work in relative peace and their sacrifice for my efforts weighs upon my heart greatly."

A soft laugh emanated from the dais, "Your humility is pleasing to us, Sergeant Phillips. We have made our gratitude known to the US Forces stationed on our islands. Their answer to us was as yours. Though, we are curious. Is this sense of, shall we say chivalry, as common among Westerners as it once was among our warrior clans?"

"Among fighting men and women, your Majesty, it is a trait common to us all. We give our lives to protect that which we love most; family, country, honor; and we give our lives freely so that those we cherish most may live in peace."

Another soft laugh, "The British are always so charming and charismatic. The Throne is most pleased to have you stay as our guest and we invite you to remain with us as long as it pleases you."

Shaun again bowed his head. "Your Majesty is again far too kind. My family seeks respite and stability, rare things in these troubling days. In return for your gracious hospitably, I cannot, in good conscience, remain idle and I humbly submit my name to your duty rosters."

"We shall take it under advisement, Sergeant Phillips," the Emperor said. "For now, enjoy your respite and stability with our compliments."

At that moment, Kurita appeared and led the Phillips' out of the reception hall.

The walk to their new home carried on in silence, the crashing of waves upon the rocks their only companion. Asuka turned the knob to the door and stepped inside, as Shaun turned to bid his escorts good night.

"We shall call upon this house tomorrow at dawn," Kurita said. "My master has expressed interest in meeting with your daughters."

"I mean no disrespect, Kurita-san, but could you tell me who your master is? The name Busujima is familiar to me, but the one I know is a long way from here," Shaun said.

Kurita smiled and leaned closer and spoke quietly into Shaun's ear.

Shaun nodded, smiled and shook Kurita's hand. "Thank you for the heads' up. I'll be sure and let them know about the meeting."

Asuka looked puzzled as Shaun closed the door behind him, a smirk on his face. "What was that about?" she asked, "Why is who wants to meet the girls a secret?"

Shaun whispered the information in her ear and Asuka covered her now smiling mouth to stifle a giggle. "Now I see! This will be a surprise for both of them!"

Shaun nodded as he pulled his wife close, "It's funny sometimes how things like this come around to connect people in this world."

000

 _A week later:_

"Come on, Miss Schweiger, you can do better than that!" Corporal Davis said as Alex threw Private Sharpe over her shoulder.

Sharpe grunted as he hit the ground and rolled back to his feet. "That's still better than she could do a few weeks ago," he said.

Alex nodded and looked over where Misa was working with Edmonds and Andrea. The Marine was in a fighting stance and holding a rubber practice knife, as Andrea showed the teenager pressure points to disarm him.

Looking the other way, she watched as White, Pegg, Nelson and Williamson went through dry fire exercises with the M700 rifle White was now using to snipe with.

As she turned her attention back to Sharpe she noticed a flash of white on the ocean horizon. She paused for a moment, puzzled, before a grin split across her face. Pointing to the distance she called out, "Sail ho! Ship to the southwest and coming fast!" she grinned at the others, "I always wanted to say that!"

"Say what?" Davis exclaimed with a frown on his face as he turned to look where Alex was pointing. He was surprised to find she was right, what seemed to be a set of white sails were drawing closer as he watched.

"Four-masted tall sailing ship," White called out as he looked at it through the scope on his rifle. "She's flying the Japanese flag."

"That would be the _Kaiwo Maru_ ," a voice said behind them. They turned to find Sergeant Kurita walking up. "She is going to tie up to the docks just to the south of us." Turning to Sergeant White, Kurita bowed slightly, "I must retrieve the ship's captain and bring him to the Emperor. Could I trouble your group to be honor guard and escort, Sergeant White?"

White nodded, "Certainly, Sergeant Kurita." Turning to his company, he shouted, "Alright you lot! Form up and try to look like Royal Marines for once!"

As the men fell into formation Alex stepped closer to Kurita and bowed slightly. "Excuse me, Kurita-gunso, but would it okay if Misa, Andrea and I go with you? Personally, I have never seen anything like that up close before."

Kurita smiled and nodded, "Certainly, Schweiger-san, it would be a pleasure for the three of you to join us."

A minute later the group had shaken out into a patrol formation with Sharpe, Nelson and Williamson in a triangle on point. Alex and Misa came next with White and Pegg behind them. Davis and Kurita followed with Edmonds and Andrea bringing up the rear. They spaced out three to four meters apart where there was room to fight if they happened to run into any of Them.

After walking a few minutes Sergeant Kurita glanced at Davis and asked quietly, "Corporal Davis, what is your assessment of how the young ladies are coming in their training?"

Davis thought for a moment and replied, "I think they are ready to progress to the more intense weapons training. They both have the basics down pretty well and really just need sparing practice to develop further skills."

Kurita nodded, "Good, my master is eager for them to be in the dojo with us. We have evaluated their knowledge and they are rough to say the least. The forms are there, but the finesse is not."

Davis nodded, "I have seen Ms. Schweiger as well as Ms. Busujima in action and can see the difference. The first time we saw Ms. Busujima in action she saved my life and then supported us in eliminating some soldiers that had been turned. She was most impressive, floating like a dancer as she killed the zeds."

Kurita smiled, "It has been several years since I saw Lady Busujima compete, but she was the same way then. To hear she was alive and how well she has done was a joy to my heart and lifted my master's spirits greatly."

Davis smiled, "When we saw her work Edmonds asked me then if I thought Ms. Schweiger could do what she did. Then we were all shocked when Alex…went off the reservation, so to speak on Ikei. I don't know how many she put down but it was…dozens. We were very worried about her frame of mind at the time, but she seems to have settled down and is a bit more level headed now."

Gazing ahead at the girl in question Kurita said, "The mindset of the samurai in battle can be a dark place. I have experienced this myself the first time I drew live steel with the intent of destroying the enemy in front of me. It was disquieting, after so many years of training to finally be released to kill with my bare blade and no restrictions. Yet it was also…liberating. I can easily see how she, or Lady Busujima for that matter, could slip into a battle rage and lose themselves."

Davis nodded, "The trick is to teach them how to pull back from that edge of darkness. Ms. Busujima has Komuro-san to draw her back; Ms. Schweiger may not have that limiter at this time."

"Lord Busujima will find some way to handle that I am quite sure," Kurita said as they rounded a corner to find the tall ship drawing itself into the dock with ropes. Several men with rifles and pikes already stood guard near the end of the pier.

Kurita went forward and answered the guards challenge with a countersign before the Marine group was allowed past.

The group stood looking up at the web of ropes and masts that seemed to reach to the sky, as Kurita and White went aboard to meet the captain.

"Wow! I would love to be able to climb up there and look across the ocean!" Alex said as she and Misa looked skyward to the mast tops.

"Ugh…too high for me!" Misa exclaimed as Andrea laughed.

Alex also laughed as White, Kurita and an older man with gray hair and beard, dressed in a white peaked cap, a blue long coat with white pants and black shoes, came down the gangway.

"Attention on deck!" White shouted in English. The Royal Marines snapped to attention and presented arms. Alex, Misa and Andrea bowed in respect.

The older man smiled and bowed to the girls, "Well, well Sergeant Kurita, I see not all of your personnel consist of grizzled war dogs!"

Everyone laughed as Sharpe looked at Davis and asked, "I'm grizzled? I'm not even thirty yet!"

Kurita bowed and said, "Please allow me to introduce the master of the _Kaiwo Maru_ , Captain Tsugumo Hanshiro."

The Captain nodded and bowed slightly, all the time smiling as everyone was introduced. Turning to Alex he said, "If you young ladies would like a tour of the ship at a later time I will be happy to oblige you."

Alex beamed, "Thank you, Captain! I would love to!"

He nodded, "Well for now I think we better get started, we don't want to keep the Emperor waiting now, do we?"

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow!

Osaka trip - **A Simple Kind of DEAD Year Zero**

EN: 1st posted 5/17/15


	2. Chapter 2

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

 _Tokashiki Island: ZDay+75_

Even though they had been working and training all day, Alex and Misa were smiling as they walked along the path while carrying little Megumi. The child had not been sleeping well the last few days, but was looking happily exhausted as she cooed and reached for the tropical birds sitting in the branches overhead.

In the short time since arriving on Tokashiki, they had found walking paths and trails all through the surrounding hills. The resort that had become the Imperial Palace had been a favorite remote destination for many before the outbreak. That remoteness now helped lend to its security from the undead that roamed the earth.

The girls followed the path to the beach to wade in the water for a few minutes as the sun sank in the west. As they started back to the main building, they heard laughter from above them on the grass veranda. Exiting the trees they found an interesting group sitting around one of the tables drinking evening tea. Minister Takagi, his wife and Busujima-sensei were often siting together in the evenings, but the surprise was the fourth member, Sergeant Major Blake.

The girls stopped a polite distance away and bowed to their elders. "Good evening, everyone," Alex called out as the group at the table nodded back to them.

"Come, girls," Yuriko called to them. "Sit for a moment with us and rest."

"Is that the real reason you want us to sit with you, Okaa-sama?" Misa asked with a smirk on her face as she and Alex found chairs next to the woman.

Yuriko laughed as the men chuckled, "Of course not! I want to play with Megumi-chan too! I need to get into practice again. Who knows, I might be a grandmother before too long!" She held her hands out to receive the squirming bundle of joy.

Kage and Blake laughed as her husband frowned. "You keep bringing that up, wife, but don't wish for such things, I'm not ready to be a grandfather yet!"

Kage chuckled again as he said, "Now, Souichiro-san, I thought you liked that young man your daughter has attached herself to!"

Don Takagi nodded, "Oh I do! I do, but she is still only sixteen years old after all. Of course you have a lot to say, Sensei, _you_ might be a grandfather first!"

Kage shrugged his shoulders, "Ah, well Saeko-chan has made her choice and I am impressed with Takashi-kun."

Alex shook her head, "It still amazes me how out of all the people in Japan, so many of us are connected in some way or another. To think that some of the people we went to school with are your daughters, and they are now manning a forward base for the JGSDF." Looking over at Blake, Alex's eyes narrowed, "How do you fit into this, Sergeant Major? You've known us for a while now, but when did you meet everyone else?"

Don Takagi chuckled before Blake could reply, "Oh, the good Sergeant Major and his detachment are the ones that pulled us out of our mansion*, Schweiger-chan. Then he and a few others escorted us into custody when the government and Americans wanted us for questioning."

Kage nodded again, "Yes that was when the Emperor took control again."

It was Misa's turn to speak up, "Please excuse me, but I've always wondered about that. Just how did it come about that the Emperor came back into power? I mean, the Diet had it fixed where he was nothing but a figurehead for so long."

Blake smiled slightly as he wrapped his hands around his tea cup. "Well, Misa-chan, it happened right after the _Ark_ arrived at Ikeijima. While you and your best mate here went mucking about in Osaka, the serving government wanted the Don and his wife for questioning…"

000

 _ZDay+6_

Sergeant Major RJF Blake stood on the flight deck in the cool predawn hours. Before long, the air would be heavy with spring humidity and temperatures could easily rise past 25 degrees Centigrade. Blake missed the spring weather in Devonshire, England. After the world ended, his only wish was simply to die within sight of it.

A cough to his right brought Blake's attention to the here and now. He knew his part in this little game. Directly behind Blake stood Souichiro Takagi, looking every bit as imperious and commanding as the day he came into custody. His wife, Yuriko, stood by him. Her lovely violet locks, swept by the mild ocean breeze, gave her an almost fairy-princess look about her. The Takagi's asked only that their whereabouts be passed on to their only child, a daughter, Saya, when she was found. For some reason they were quite sure she was still alive.

Flanking the Takagi's to their right stood Marine Captain de Souza and Corporal Davis. To the Takagi's left, stood Sergeants White and Pegg. Directly behind the group, stood Lance Corporal Edmonds and Private Sharpe. Bringing up the rear stood Shido Kouichi and his cult of student followers.

Captain McElroy had ordered Shido and his group off Ikeijima and the Ark Royal that morning. He had witnessed firsthand during the voyage the effect they had on everyone's morale. That Alex and Misa voiced accusations of murder had only clinched the deal.

McElroy sat in his command chair on the bridge overlooking the flight deck. A smile played across his lips as he recalled the furiousness in his opposite number's voice upon the conditions of the transfer. He had Takagi, the Americans and Japanese wanted him – desperately. So, McElroy made the Americans come to Ikeijima. Their bird, their time, their petrol.

McElroy received notice that one Sergeant Shaun Phillips, Royal Engineers, had been transferred off Okinawa Jima in a bid to sweeten the exchange. McElroy smiled at this turn of events. He got a experienced combat engineer and peace _and_ quiet in exchange for a person of interest and an unstable educator.

The distinctive 'thup thup' of rotor blades slicing the air alerted those on the deck that the transfer was now imminent. Through the pre-dawn gloom, the distinctive shark shape of a UH-60 Black Hawk approached the Ark Royal.

Souichiro cleared his throat to gain Blake's attention.

"I understand why you had to turn me over to the Japanese government," he informed Blake. His voice was flat and carried no hint of recrimination, only tiredness. "I will go, and if necessary, I will offer my head to clear my name."

Blake nodded in silence.

"My only regret," Takagi continued, "is that my precious wife must bear my shame alongside me."

"It is the duty of a wife," Lady Takagi spoke with quiet conviction, "To shoulder her husband's travails with him."

Souichiro almost cracked a smile as he bowed his head to Yuriko. Loyal and loving to the end, they would face their fate together.

"What of my men?" Takagi asked.

"They are to follow along later," de Souza answered. "Right now, you are who the new government wants to see."

"Then why is this – person – coming along?" Takagi sneered at Shido. "I have had dealings with him and his father. Neither is fit to lick my boot."

"I can't really answer that," de Souza responded somewhat cryptically. "All I know is that Captain McElroy wanted him on Okinawa Jima and off of _Ark Royal_ at first available possibility."

Shido cowered behind Edmonds and Sharpe. His cult of students became restless, but a quick glance from the Marines silenced them.

The Black Hawk was given its final clearance and set down some distance from the assembled people on deck. An officer in a flight suit ran to the group, exchanged salutes with Captain de Souza, then handed over a clipboard. De Souza scanned it over and affixed his signature.

At that moment, another man, dressed in the Desert DPM of the British Army departed the Black Hawk and made his way to the group. He saluted de Souza as well and handed over his transfer papers. Told to wait by the entrance to the control island, the soldier ran off. Blake noticed a Corps of Royal Engineers patch on his arm as he went by.

Blake, White and Pegg helped the civilians get strapped in while Davis, Edmonds and Sharpe made their way to the waiting soldier. De Souza signed one last form, the co-pilot re-entered the cockpit and the Black Hawk ascended into the gathering dawn. Blake looked out a side window to see the engineer shake hands with his Marines and enter the ship.

000

The short hop to Okinawa Jima ended as explosions and small arms fire greeted those disembarking the Black Hawk. It became glaringly obvious to everyone aboard that Okinawa Jima had not been completely secured and was in the process of fighting the infected. The streets surrounding Marine Corps Base Camp Hansen were an active battle zone.

"It would seem the forces of the old status quo are having a difficult time battling the forces of change and the New Order," Shido announced to his cult in Japanese. Takagi frowned disapprovingly as Yuriko regarded the former teacher with cold disdain.

"It saddens me to think that this man had access to the education of my precious Saya," Lady Takagi spoke aloud. "That he continues to exert influence upon the weak minded is to the great shame of the Japan that survives."

Blake simply chose to disregard the whole circus and focus instead upon the welcoming committee of two young US Marines.

000

Blake watched the hallway carefully as White and Pegg checked and cleared the hotel suite. Blake was still slightly confused on what was going on. It was Captain McElroy's impression that the Americans and the Japanese government desperately wanted Don Takagi, but after disembarking the Blackhawk, they found the two young US Marines to be rather uninterested in the whole affair.

Shido and his group had been hustled into a passenger van while Blake and crew were placed in a large SUV. After a few minutes driving, the Marines deposited them in front of a high-rise hotel with instructions to go check in at the front desk. This led to where they were now, in front of the suite assigned to them.

Once inside, Pegg went to the balcony as White stood near the door.

Yuriko checked the kitchenette before turning to her husband, "I see we have at least been provided with some small provisions so I will prepare tea." Looking to Blake she asked, "Sergeant Major would you and your men care for a fresh cup?"

Blake smiled as he nodded, "Yes ma'am, I think that would be welcome after the day we've been having."

Bowing slightly she turned to her task.

Souichiro looked around the living area before motioning toward the balcony. "Would you care to accompany me to the overlook, Sergeant Major?"

Blake nodded, "I'm currently at your disposal Don Takagi."

The men walked to the rail and looked over the island as they listened to the sounds of gunfire. Pegg stood to one side, rifle to his shoulder, looking through his scope at the fighting.

"How does it look, Sergeant?" Souichiro asked.

Lowering his weapon, Pegg replied, "The Americans are winning, but they are going about it the hard way. They're fighting house-to-house urban combat instead of using the knowledge of the zeds against them."

Souichiro frowned, "Please explain."

"They're fighting like they would against live targets, kicking in doors, bull rushes and tactics against armed men. We learned quickly to be quiet and draw the zeds to us before striking, attack at range while we can and let them come to us for a prepared ambush when they get close."

Souichiro nodded, "Sound advice."

Blake cleared his throat, "If you don't mind me asking, Don, what's going to happen now?"

"I'm not sure, Sergeant Major," he replied. "It depends on what the people in control say I have done. In my eyes I have worked to secure people and resources to combat this disaster, but I'm sure I have trod on other's egos along the way."

Blake thought about what the man said as White stepped to the door. "Sar Major. There is a man here to see Don Takagi. He says his name is Busujima Kage and he's wearing a pair of swords."

A smile crossed Souichiro's face as he heard the name. "This man is my sensei, my teacher in swordsmanship. I can assure you he is not here to cause any trouble."

"We are here for your safety, Don Takagi, not to keep you from seeing those you consider friends," looking at White, Blake nodded. "Escort the gentleman in."

White nodded and headed back for the door as they followed. Souichiro waved his wife over and whispered in her ear before they stopped in the living area. White returned with a stern looking man, black hair graying at his temples; he had a square jaw and a small mustache. His eyes narrowed as he took them in.

The Sergeant Major was slightly surprised when Souichiro and Yuriko bowed deeply to the man and Yuriko said, "Welcome to our abode, Busujima-sensei. It is a pleasure to see you in good health."

The man glanced at Blake before returning their bow, but only going down half as far as they did. "Ah Yuriko-san, it is always a pleasure to see you as well. It seems that you have been keeping my student in good health."

The woman's smile glowed as her husband chuckled, "She has made sure of my wellbeing, Sensei, throughout all this upheaval."

Busujima-san nodded before glancing at Blake again.

"Sensei please let me introduce my security detachment. This is Sergeant Major RJF Blake of the British Marines and his men Sergeants White and Pegg."

"Security detachment?" Busujima-san asked as he slightly nodded his head to Blake.

"In the sense of protection, not as jailers, Busujima-san," Blake said.

A smile crossed the man's face, "Good, good, I was distressed when I heard you were being brought here at the request of the ruling cabal, Souichiro-san."

Yuriko interrupted, "Sensei I was just about to serve tea, would you care to join us?"

"Yes certainly, I need to talk to both of you about Project Edo," Busujima Kage said.

For a moment Souichiro and Yuriko both froze. Then Yuriko excused herself to get the tea as her husband glanced at Blake. "Busujima-sensei if I understand what you are saying, I think Sergeant Major Blake should hear what you need to say also."

Kage's eyes narrowed, "Do you trust this man enough to hear secrets of the Emperor, Don Takagi?"

Souichiro nodded, "The British Marines under the Sergeant Major's command have been nothing but helpful, polite and respectful to us and all they have come in contact with since we met them, Sensei. Unlike the Americans, I think we can trust them to be impartial judges in the days to come."

Kage turned to the Sergeant Major and looked into his eyes. Blake felt as if the man was looking into the depths of his soul for a moment before Kage grunted, "I see. Well if you trust them, who am I to dispute you."

The younger man bowed reverently as he motioned his teacher towards the table Yuriko was placing the tea on. She served the three men before taking cups to White and Pegg. As she settled back down Kage cleared his throat, but Yuriko interrupted him.

"Sensei if you don't mind please let me interrupt you for one moment more. Have you heard anything from your daughter?" she asked.

Kage's face turned dark, "No I have not. She did not know I was back in the country when this started."

The woman covered her mouth for a second before breaking into a smile, "Then please let us inform you we have seen her and she was well. She was with our daughter and several other friends when we last saw them and they were going to find the others' parents. This was merely a few days ago."

The man lowered his head for a minute and took control of his emotions. "This does my heart good to hear this news, Yuriko-san. I felt if anyone could survive this it would be her. I got caught up in these events or I would have been searching for her myself."

"Do not worry, Sensei," Souichiro said. "She is with a strong group and I myself put a Murata-tou blade in her hands. She wanted to refuse it, but I entrusted it to her care with the story it was a gift she should take to you."

Kage rose his head, his eyes slightly moist, "I will make sure when I see her that it stays in her possession, Souichiro-san. Now, I must tell you that our liege is here in this hotel under my protection."

The Takagis gasped. "Emperor Akihito here! He's safe!" Souichiro exclaimed.

Kage frowned again, "No, I am sorry to inform you that the current Emperor is Akishino. He and his family were the only ones we got out of the palace in time. Akihito and all others fell there."

Yuriko coved her mouth and closed her eyes as her husband hung his head.

Blake cleared his throat, "Excuse me, Busujima-san, if I understand you correctly there is a member of the Imperial family still alive and here nearby?"

Kage nodded, "That is correct, Sergeant Major, and while he is distressed over the loss of his family he is also distressed over the three former Diet members that have set themselves up in power in the vacuum. It is apparent they are using their influence to try and control what is happening."

 _Holy Christ! We might have just stepped into the middle of a civil war!_ Blake thought.

"How much do you understand about the Japanese constitution, Sergeant Major?" Kage asked.

Blake frowned, "All officers and senior non-coms must take a class before being posted to embassy duty Busujima-san. The Foreign Office feels this is the best way to keep from having 'misunderstandings' between native and embassy personnel."

"Then you know that much like your queen, the emperor has become more of a figurehead than anything else. He is still loved by the people, but has little say-so in the running of the country."

Blake nodded, he knew in his mind what was coming next.

"Please understand," Kage continued, "We fully believe in the freedoms of the people, but those that are currently representing our nation are working for their own benefit, not that of Japan. The Imperial family believes in the parliamentary system of government, but we are in a crisis of such proportions that there needs a strong leader in charge. You may think of this as the western concept of martial law."

"So what is it you expect from me and my men?"

"Nothing," Kage replied to Blake's surprise, "I would only ask you to please protect Don Takagi and his wife and to be a witness. That is all." Kage watched Blake's eyes as he explained, "You must take into account the Japanese mindset, Sergeant Major. If your queen walked in the door and gave you an order, what would you do?"

"I would do whatever I could for her within the limits of the law," Blake replied, "But I must ask, what is your part in this, Busujima-san?"

Kage smirked, "I see why you feel you can trust this man, Souichiro-san." Looking to Blake he continued. "The Busujima family has been protectors of the Chrysanthemum Throne for nearly a thousand years. We are direct vassals to the Emperor and his family. Currently I am serving as the commander of the Imperial Guard. It is mine and my men's job to protect the lives of the Emperor and his family with our own."

They looked around as there was a banging at the door. When White opened it they could hear someone in the hallway saying loudly they were there to take Takagi to the ruling council. White politely told them just a minute and closed the door in their faces.

"What do you want to do, Sar Major?" he asked Blake as he walked up.

Blake looked back at Souichiro with questions in his eyes.

Souichiro looked to Kage, "How long do you need, Sensei?"

Kage shook his head, "All I need to do is go get the Emperor, but those men in the hallway don't need to see me."

The other men nodded as Blake looked to Pegg, "Stay here and cover Lady Takagi. _No one_ gets near her until after we return, understood?"

"Aye, Sar Major." Pegg replied.

The men outside banged on the door again. Walking to it, Blake opened it himself this time. "HERE NOW, WE'RE COMING! GIVE A MAN TIME TO GET HIS COAT ON!" he shouted.

The two stunned men outside fell back in shock. "Who are you?!" one demanded.

"Sergeant Major RJF Blake, British Marines."

Confused the man asked, "Why are you here? This is not British business!"

Blake shook his head, "We are Don Takagi's security detail assigned to him by the captain of _HMS Ark Royal_."

"You are not needed! We will handle this matter!"

The hallway got very quiet as Blake leaned forward. In the silence that followed, the sound of the safety clicking off on White's L85 was heard clear as day. "Oh no, boy-o, we were assigned the job to take Don Takagi to the ruling council and British Marines _do not_ walk away from their assigned duty," Blake told them.

Not prepared for a confrontation with two heavily armed Marines, the loud mouth spun and stormed off down the hall waving for them to follow. After a second or two, Blake followed with Souichiro behind him.

White stopped and stared down the second Japanese man. "I'll bring up the rear if you don't mind," he said with a smile. The man's eyes widened as he realized the muzzle of White's rifle had drifted in his direction. They headed off down the hallway behind the others and as they turned the corner towards the elevators, White looked back to see Busujima-san slipping out the suite's door and heading for the fire exit.

When the group reached the elevator lobby, Blake paused and shook his head. "I don't think so. I feel better taking the stairs. I don't want to get trapped in a metal box on a cable if another EMP hits." With that he headed further down the hallway to another set of fire escape stairs.

"Well, where are we going, lad? Up or down?" Blake asked as he opened the stairwell door and peered in.

"Up to the top floor and ballroom," the first escort said, fidgeting with his tie. Blake could tell this man was totally out of his element now and confused on how this gaijin had gotten the better of him.

"Then lead the way." Blake said with a smile as he held the door for the young man. Not knowing what else to do, the man obeyed.

Four flights of stairs later they arrived on the top floor. Exiting the stairway they headed back towards the elevator lobby and turned left into a set of double doors. Inside they found three men sitting behind a conference table with several other groups standing around the walls of a large ballroom.

Blake noticed officers from the ground, naval and air Self Defense Forces as well as police, fire and a couple of US military officers, one wearing the service uniform he knew to be US Marines, the other wearing the US Army version.

The first escort stopped before the table and bowed and said, "We have brought the criminal Takagi to you senators."

The one in the middle leaned forward, "And who are these armed men you also brought to us?"

Blake took the opportunity to step forward, "Sergeant Major RJF Blake, British Marines and security detail assigned to Don Takagi by the captain of _HMS Ark Royal_."

The men at the table glanced at each other and the middle one then nodded, "Well then, you have completed your duty and we thank you, Sergeant Major. You may go now."

Knowing he had gone as far as he could, Blake turned and addressed Souichiro, "Don Takagi do you recognize these men as representatives of your country's government?"

Souichiro nodded, "Regrettably I do, Sergeant Major. I thank you and your men for your service and would ask, since there are representatives of other governments here, to stay and observe these proceedings."

Blake nodded slightly and started to the back of the room. "We'll be by the door," he muttered as he passed.

Taking White in tow, he took up position on the wall to the right of the entrance.

Before anything else could happen or be said, the entrance doors swung open and Busujima Kage strode in followed by two younger men. Kage was dressed as he had been a few minutes before, a business kimono, and the other two had on old style uniforms like Souichiro was wearing. They each had red obis around their waists like Kage that were holding two swords, the mark of the samurai.

"All bow before the rightful Emperor of Japan!" Kage called out as he stopped before the council table.

A middle aged man with graying hair came in behind Kage and was followed by three others dressed as Kage's companions had been. The Emperor had on a business suit with a yellow obi carrying two swords and white cotton gloves on his hands. As he walked forward everyone in the room went to their knees except for Blake, White, the Americans and the three seated at the table.

The Emperor stood for a moment before addressing the three, "We would like to thank you for your service during this time of crisis. As of two hours ago we signed papers dissolving the government and had them witnessed and notarized by the head of the Supreme Court."

Kage stood behind his liege and motioned to the policemen to come forward. Three walked over to stand behind the council members.

"If it would please you, gentlemen, we will escort you back to your suites to rest until the Emperor calls for you," the officer in the middle said.

"WHAT TREASON IS THIS?" the loud mouth escort screamed. "THE EMPEROR DIED AT THE PALACE! DIE IMPOSTER!" With that he and his companion reached into their pockets and drew pistols.

Kage moved like lighting before the pair could bring their weapons to bear. As the guns came up his sword slashed down, cutting both their hands from their arms. A blinding back slash also removed loud mouth's head before Kage's katana stopped with its point inserted in the brain pan of the second assassin.

"Now you see the power of the _fully_ armed and operational samurai," White muttered quietly as Blake's head snapped around to glare at him.

One of the US Army officers turned to the wall and retched as the other one stood frozen, pale-faced.

Kage and his men quickly formed a circle around the Emperor watching for threats as the ruler pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and covered his mouth for a minute before speaking again.

"Ah, it distresses us to see such violence against my people when our country is in crisis." Looking around the room his eyes fell on Blake and White. "Ah yes, members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces. Would you and your American counterparts attest to the fact that these men were trying to assassinate the Royal Person when struck down?"

Blake paused for a moment as his eyes and the Emperor's met. Bowing he said, "Yes, your Majesty. I will swear an oath as a member the British Armed Forces that these two men tried to kill you." Blake then glanced over to the American general standing nearby.

"I also saw that, your Majesty. And I would like to say the American forces welcome a strong leader to fill the void of power in Japan," the general said.

The Emperor nodded to both of them and turned back to the table, "Ah, Shido-san, you are still here? You and your companions may go now; we will call for you as we need you."

The man in the middle seemed to deflate as he got up. He followed the other, now former, council members around the table and started for the door. Stopping near Souichiro he said in a low voice, "I don't know how you pulled this off, Takagi, but you will pay for this!"

Souichiro shook his head, "I pulled nothing off, Shido. Remember, _you_ called _me_ here."

Shido-san snarled as he headed for the door.

The Emperor walked around the table and assumed the seat former Senator Shido had vacated. Kage followed him around and took position to his left, slightly behind him.

Akishino looked over the audience for a minute before speaking again. "We thank everyone for their level headedness in this time of upheaval. We would ask you to excuse us for a short time while a few matters are…cleaned up and we confer with our advisers. General Crighton, we will need to speak with you soon if you would please remain nearby. One of our aids will find you a comfortable waiting area. Don Takagi we wish to speak with you also, but we believe your 'security detachment' may stand down with our thanks."

Souichiro bowed low and turned to walk over to Blake and White. "Sergeant Major, if you would please return to my wife and inform her of what has happened. I will come as soon as I can and thank you personally."

Blake nodded and he and White exited the room.

000

 _Present day:_

"And so that's the story." Blake said as the girls smiled at him.

"Wow, that is some tale," Misa said, open-mouthed. "All this time, we were struggling to put together some semblance of civilization on Ikei and the Emperor himself was just across the bay."

"It was not something you could have known, dear child," Yuriko said. She gently stroked Megumi's chin, eliciting a content coo. "Besides, we have heard of your exploits in returning to Osaka. Corporal Davis speaks highly of you both and your actions are to be commended."

"Indeed," Souichiro intoned. "I have spoken to the Emperor about it when I was informed by the Sergeant Major. The Emperor was pleased and touched by your willingness to go into harm's way to do as you have done."

Misa and Alex blushed deeply. "It was all Captain McElroy could do to stop us, but I was headstrong and not to be dissuaded. My companion was gravely injured and one Marine nearly lost his life for the vanity of a foolish high-school girl," Misa said.

"Do you know what the only difference between your actions and what those of the heroes of legend are?" Kage took his turn. Misa shook her head. Kage smirked and chuckled lightly, "Time and distance. In taking a deeper understanding of the actions that made heroes great, one can clearly see rashness and not a small amount of vain-glory. No, what you did will be talked of for years to come. While others cowered and cried, you would not and instead embarked upon a quest larger than yourself. In so doing, you returned with knowledge, experience and the skills of the young Korean girl, Angie Park. Were it not for you, she would surely have died and we would be without her technical expertise. She will be a priceless resource in the days to come."

"Sensei, your praise is most generous," Misa bowed her head. Alex followed suit. Kage smirked and the adults all shared a laugh.

"Now, Schweiger-san. I want to talk of your training schedule."

Alex groaned into her tea as Misa offered a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"It has come to my attention that the Marines have concluded their portion of your training and conditioning, is that true?"

"It is, Sensei."

"Good. At first light I want to see you in my dojo and we may begin your sword training in earnest. Misa-san will attend to work with her pole-arm."

Blake took a long sip of tea and cleared his throa,. "You know, Miss Schweiger, you never did tell me how you were able to convince Kage-san to train you."

Alex sighed deeply.

"It was the day after we arrived on Tokashiki," she began.

000

 _Day after the girls' arrival on_ _Tokashiki:_

The man strode into the dojo, his aura of power palpable in the air. Alex could feel his strength and confidence as it filled every corner of the room. He wore a man's semi-formal kimono with the markings on his breast of a government official. A red obi around his waist held two swords, one long, one short. In his hand was Alex's sword, which she had to surrender upon entrance.

Misa assumed a posture of humble respect, Alex followed suit shortly after.

"Where did you come by this blade, girl?" he asked imperiously.

Alex lowered her head and spoke more to the wood flooring than to her interrogator. "It was a gift, sir."

"A gift?" The man paced about in front of the girls. "Who would give such a gift to a gaijin like you?"

"With respect, _sir_ ," Alex clenched her teeth, swallowing her pride. "It was given to me by my senpai."

"I would know the name of this 'Senpai'."

"Busujima Saeko-Senpai, sir," Alex said. "She was one year ahead of me at Fujimi Academy – before the End. I had the honor of cross-training with her kendo club while I studied aikido."

The gentle sound of steel against wood signaled that the man had drawn her sword. Alex chanced a peek from the corner of her eye to see him inspecting the blade.

"It is obvious this blade is mass produced," he said, delicately running his finger along the spine. "However, it is of sufficient quality to allow certain…clumsy techniques. More than adequate for cutting down walking corpses."

"It has not failed me in that regard, sir."

"Indeed. Tell me girl, what is the name your parents gave you?"

"Alexis Yukari Schweiger, sir."

"You are American by birth, I can tell by your crude pronunciation," the man laughed. "Still, that you have made the effort to learn the language of your mother is a mark in your favor." Alex felt the man gently lift her chin. "Face me not as a humble peasant cowering before a samurai."

Alex nodded and sat back on her knees. Misa was treated with similar kindness. A younger man brought in a tray of hot tea and figs. This was placed before the two girls as the older man sat opposite them. The young man bowed and excused himself. The samurai gently slid the blade into its sheath and placed it before him.

"My manners have failed me, young ladies," he said as he carefully lifted a steaming cup to his lips. "I humbly introduce myself as Busujima Kage."

Alex's eyes lit up and she started to rise before Misa gently laid a hand on her wrist. Catching herself in time, Alex settled back into seiza. "If I may inquire, sir. Are you, by chance, any relation to my Senpai?"

"Not by chance, dear girl," Kage chuckled. "Saeko-chan is my beloved daughter. That she saw fit to bestow this blade upon you speaks volumes to me. I know how many they had and how precious they are."

Alex smiled. Kage smirked in return, "She also told me of a brash young American, more force than finesse, who would often rely on strength over skill to defeat her opponents. She was described as a flame-haired giantess who instilled fear in her classmates and terror in her kouhais."

Crestfallen, Alex bit her lip as Kage described her to the letter. Kage, noticing this, laughed aloud. Alex let her head sink to her chest.

"At the same time," Kage continued. "My child described this same girl as fierce and proud in competition, but always good natured and humble elsewhere. This girl would never provoke an incident and always tried her best to learn."

Alex blushed at the compliment. Busujima-Senpai had told her father all these things about some second year she barely knew.

"I have also heard the stories from the British military personnel who escorted you here," Kage continued. "Your loyalty and devotion to those closest to you speaks highly of your character."

Alex turned to see Misa blushing deeply. Kage continued. "To convince the commander of a fighting ship to spare his people and aircraft over for a fool-hardy adventure in zombie infested Osaka and to protect her friend without regard to her own life; this same girl who cut a bloody swathe through those same corpses as They invaded your safe haven to make sure this friend would be unharmed; these are the actions of heroes of legend."

Alex let her head fall to her chest again. Kage's words inspired and worried her. She was completely unsure of what was expected of her from this moment on.

"My mind is made up," Kage said, sipping the last of his tea. "Even in the absence of my daughter's recommendation, I will offer a place for you to train, Schweiger-san. Will you honor my house to accept a place in my school?"

Alex hesitated a moment before facing him. She smiled, then pressed her forehead to the wood flooring once again.

"You are too kind, sensei," she said. "I can only pray that I live up to your expectations."

Kage laughed aloud once again. Alex could feel him gently lift her into seiza once again. He returned to his place opposite and gently fingered the inlay tiger on her sword's scabbard.

"I will see to it the Tiger of Ikei is trained in the matters of civil kendo."

000

 _Present day:_

"Well, that explains a lot, actually," Souichiro said. "Sensei, I had no idea you inspired such awe even among those who do not know you."

Kage smirked, "I fear it's more a testament to my daughter than anything I do, Souichiro-san. One of these days I shall have to double my efforts to live up to her expectations of me."

The adults shared another laugh as Alex and Misa watched on. Megumi started crying, bringing everyone's attention to the lateness of the hour. Misa instinctively reached out and relieved Yuriko of the burden.

"It was such a lovely evening," Yuriko said as she watched the sun disappear into the sea. "We simply must do this again in the near future."

"Madam is too kind to have invited me into this circle," Blake stood and bowed. "I thank her and her companions for the tea and company. Now, I must report to my command."

The others stood and bowed In return. Souichiro took Blake by the hand, "Please, convey my thanks once again to your man Pegg. I am in debt to you for guarding my dearest wife in my absence."

"It was my honor and duty, sir." Blake said, shaking Takagi's hand.

"I'm sure mom and dad are wondering where we are, koibito," Misa said. "We told them we would be home several hours ago."

"Aw, crap. You're right. I'm so sorry everyone," Alex said bowing to the adults. "We really need to get home."

"Mom? Dad?" Yuriko said.

"Sergeant Phillips and Asuka-san," Misa said. "They have become our surrogate parents, and I think we have kept them waiting long enough."

Alex and Misa bid their goodnights, took Megumi and headed back to their bungalow.

"And where have you three been all hours?" Asuka met them at the door a few minutes later.

Misa smiled. "We were out on one of the trails by the beach when we heard laughing…"

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow!

*From Comrades in DEADs by MarshalZhukov.

EN: 1st posted 5/24/15


	3. Chapter 3

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters.

* * *

 _Tokashiki Island: ZDay+82_

Sgt. Major Blake walked down one of the corridors where the Japanese government had set up offices. After pausing to speak to a duty clerk, he proceeded onward to stop at the door of a suite. He knocked sharply twice and waited for a moment before he heard a voice telling him to enter.

Going through the door, he closed it behind him and walked into a meeting area where three men sat around a mid-sized conference table.

"Sergeant Major RJF Blake reporting as ordered, Sah!" he stated as he snapped to attention.

Busujima Kage looked up at him with a smirk on his face as he said, "You may stand at ease, Sergeant Major. Relax and have a seat, we have several items to talk about."

Blake did as he was told and one of Kage's aids brought him a cup of tea as he settled. Don Takagi and Captain Tsugumo were at the table while in the background he spotted Sergeant Kurita and a couple of the minister's other aids working at desks.

"I think you know everyone here so let's get right down to business," Kage said. "Captain Tsugumo has a dispatch for you."

"I received this on my trip to Okinawa earlier this week," the gray bearded man told him.

Blake nodded as the captain passed an envelope to him with the British Ambassador's wax seal on it. Opening it he read;

 _To: Sergeant Major RJF Blake, Her Majesty's Royal Marines Tokyo Embassy Detachment._

 _From: Sir Harold Anson GCMG CVO_

 _Sergeant Major,_

 _By request of the Emperor of Japan and the Master of the Personal Bodyguard, the Lord Protector Busujima Kage, I have this day issued orders to place you and your men at the disposal of the Lord Protector for service as he sees fit._

 _These orders will stand until you are recalled or receive further orders from the Admiralty._

 _By my authority, in the name of the Crown,_

 _Sir Harold Anson GCMG CVO_

 _Her Majesty's Ambassador to Japan_

There was a second note to Blake personally.

 _Blake, please don't think I am casting you and your men aside. Since the Americans have our safety well in hand I hate to see good men sitting idle when they can be contributing to the cause. Lord Busujima has presented me with some ideas on how to use your detachment to the best of their abilities. The Japanese Self Defense Force is sorely lacking in Naval Infantry at this time and I feel you could be of great help to them in this respect. See to it that any volunteers are trained thoroughly. I have every confidence in your abilities to carry out these orders._

 _God Save the Queen!_

 _Your comrade,_

 _Sir Harold_

Blake sighed and folded the orders before placing them on the table before him. He sat quietly for a moment, composing himself before speaking to the men. "I guess that means we will _not_ be returning to Ikei any time soon."

"I'm sorry, Sgt. Major, but no. It has been decided it is more important to clear Henza and its tank farms before trying Miyagi and Ikei again," Kage told him. "The other two islands will be needed for food production in the future, but currently we do not see going back in before spring of next year."

Blake nodded, "So where does that leave me and my lot?"

"That's what we want to talk about," Souichirou said as he steepled his fingers in front of himself.

"As you well know," Tsugumo said. "Japan currently has no naval infantry forces of our own. Since my ship will be serving as a transport for government officials and the Emperor, if he sees fit to travel somewhere, we feel you and your men would be the best choice in the role of protectors for the _Kaiwo_."

Blake nodded as he thought about what the men were telling him. "I can see that," he replied. "We have done shipboard duty in the past and while she is not a carrier or an assault vessel, we have trained on sailing ships before. In Arabian waters you never know what kind of vessel you might have to board and search."

The men smiled as they listened. "But," he continued. "I think I do have a few requests."

"Go ahead and make them," Kage replied.

"I would like to add Ms. Schweiger and Ms. Jensen to our team, even if it is just on a temporary basis. They have worked well with us and their training has progressed to the point we all feel comfortable with them. I know you still have a lot of work to do with the girls, but I think Alex would be an asset. Ms. Jensen on the other hand, is a fully trained and competent fighter who only needs work in military discipline."

Kage nodded as he thought about the request. "I don't have a problem with this; in fact I think it will be good for them. You're not going to be rushing off any time soon, so they can all continue to train with me and my men as well. What about Kinoshita-san?"

"While Kinoshita-san is an admirable young woman, I do not feel she is Marine material. She can fight well enough, but does not have that aggressive drive like her partner does. She can defend others if need be, but she is just not truly a front line fighter," Blake replied. "I mean no disrespect to the young lady, she is strong in her own way, but I feel she could be of use in other areas. Have any of you heard the story about the noisemakers she made?"

The other men shook their heads as Blake went on, "When she and Ms. Schweiger first met Sgt. Phillips and his future wife, she created several noisemakers, like flash bang grenades, out of soda cans and some house-hold cleaning supplies. She even made fuses that worked quite well. It seems she is very well versed in chemistry, enough to the point the headmistress on Ikei wanted her to teach at the school, but the girl refused because she didn't feel she was old enough. I think if we can give her some leeway and guidance we might be surprised with what she could come up with."

Kage nodded, "I understand and agree we should give them some time and let them settle into a path."

"Another question," Blake continued. "What about Sgt. Phillips? Where is he going to fit in all this?"

Kage and Souichirou chuckled. "Everyone wants Sgt. Phillips," Kage replied. "But, we have him and I want to hang on to him as much as possible. He has offered his services to the Emperor personally and that is something we don't take lightly. Of course I believe he knew exactly what he was doing and I don't blame him one bit. Most of the American and JGSDF engineers have the three moat system in their heads now, so he does not have to oversee the building of those facilities as closely as he did at first. We now want to direct his efforts into more 'special projects' from this point on."

"Oh? Like what?" Blake asked interest now piqued.

"We have in mind several power plant ideas put forth by Park-san," Souichirou replied.

Blake nodded as a smirk crossed his face, "I didn't think you could tear her away from _Inscrutable_."

The others chuckled again. The person in question was Eun-ji 'Angie' Park, a Korean-American electrical engineer from the University of Washington. She had been in Osaka doing master's degree work when the outbreak hit. She had been rescued from the public library there when Alex, Misa and a squad of Royal Marines made a raid on the building. It turned out the young woman's specialty was power plants, and while on Ikei, had become involved with the British sub _HMS Inscrutable_ and its nuclear reactors. There was also rumors she was attached to one of the sub's engineers, but that had not been confirmed.

"She is more than eager to get to work on projects and we think the first one should be Onohira Base," Souichirou told him. "She has many good ideas and we feel if we put her and Sgt. Phillips together in design and construction, there will be a lot that gets done. She and Kinoshita-san get along well so the girl could also act as her aide."

Blake nodded, "I can see that. What would our schedule be to start shipboard training, Captain?"

Tsugumo smiled, "You can start as early as tomorrow. We can meet with my first and second officers right after this and lay out plans."

"Do you want us to move onboard while training?" the Marine asked.

The older man shook his head, "I don't see a reason for it. You can move onboard the day before we have to set sail. Currently I do not see a trip within the next two weeks, so there should be plenty of time."

Kage glanced around the table and nodded, "Well then, let's adjourn and the two of you can get started."

The men all stood up and bowed as Tsugumo and Blake left.

000

It was much later that evening when Blake arrived at the bungalow where the Phillips family was residing. Knocking three times he stepped back and waited until the door opened.

"Good evening, Sgt. Major," Asuka said as she saw who it was.

"Good evening, Mrs. Phillips is Sergeant Phillips home?" he asked.

"Yes, please step in and I'll get him," she replied.

Blake stood just inside the door where he did not need to take off his boots as he waited for Shaun. In less than a minute the man walked up and the Marine had to chuckle at his mode of dress.

The combat engineer was barefoot and had on a pair of cargo shorts with a tank top and an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt over it.

"Interrupting some leisure time am I?" Blake said with a smirk.

It was Shaun's turn to laugh, "Asuka is always on me about relaxing when I can, so I've gotten into a habit when I get home."

"Nothing wrong with it, I should do it more myself. Sometimes I feel this uniform is the only set of clothes I have." The older man said. "Anyway, I need to speak with you on business, care to take a stroll?"

Shaun nodded before turning to his wife, "I'll be back in a bit dear."

"Blake-san? Have you had supper yet?" Asuka asked.

"Yes mum, I was in a meeting with the ships officers and the crew fed us."

"Alright, don't be too late, boys," she said as she closed the door behind them.

The two men walked along the path between the bungalows that led down to the large grassy veranda overlooking the beach and western ocean. In the fading light they could see some of the other islands in the Kerama group off in the distance.

Blake motioned to a table off to one side for them to settle at. They watched the sun set for a minute before the Sgt. Major turned to the other man and spoke.

"So, how up to date are you on what the ministers are planning involving you and Ms. Park?"

"I know Onohira is their first choice for the project," Shaun said. "Angie and I have discussed several ways of powering the base. Since I have been on the ground there and know the assets, she was willing to defer to my judgment. We feel hydro-electric in combination with some solar will do the job."

"Hydro? You mean like building a dam?" Blake asked.

Shaun shook his head, "No I don't think we are going to have to get that complicated. They have a nice sized reservoir uphill of them and they get their water supply from it by gravity feed currently. The supply feed comes from a different pipe than the overflow relief spillway on the dam, so we can tap into that spillway and use the water flow that is already there for what we need."

"Sounds complicated," the older man said with a frown.

"Not really," the younger man replied. "Angie, being from the American northwest, is familiar with single farm or homestead setups. All you need to have is a good water flow, a water wheel or turbine and a generator. You can charge a system of batteries as well as have a direct feed and as long as the system does not overload, or you run out of water, power is almost trouble free."

"What about the solar part of what you said?"

"We think it would be best to set up solar systems on the med bay, mess hall and command post. After that, armory, supply and motor pool would be next and then residential buildings," Shaun explained. "It's not a matter of being unable to do it; we just need to chase down the parts. This is where Onohira's supply officer, Saya Takagi, comes into play. She had the good sense to collect phone books on their way out of Tokyo and uses them to find supply spots for things they need. In fact it's become standing orders for many units that if you go into a new area, collect phone books."

Blake snorted and shook his head, "I would have never have thought of that!"

Shaun grinned, "She is a bit of a genius after all, and she will be quick to remind you of that fact!"

They grew quiet again and Shaun put his elbows on the table and clasped his hands together before him. "But, I don't think talking about my next mission was all you came to see me for, was it?"

Blake mimicked the younger man as he shook his head. "No," he replied. "It was not. I wanted to talk to you about Alex and Misa. Where do you see them going from here?"

"It's a problem Asuka and I have discussed several times with no answer. Well…maybe that's not right…maybe it's just answers we don't really care for." He sighed, "I'm going to assume you have some ideas?"

"As of 1300 hours today, the Royal Marines Tokyo Embassy Detachment has received orders from Sir Harold that we are turned over to the Lord Protector Busujima Kage to be used as he sees fit until relived by further orders from the Admiralty. The Lord Protector, Minister Takagi and Captain Tsugumo have decided we would best serve onboard the _Kaiwo Maru_. I have also been authorized to accept volunteers to fill out our ranks," Blake told him.

"And that brings us to Alex," Shaun said.

Blake nodded, "I intend to ask her and Andrea Jensen to join, if you give your permission as far as Alex goes."

The engineer thought for a minute or two before replying. "Even though I call myself her guardian, it's really going to be up to her and Misa. What about Misa? Where does she fit into all this?"

"That was also discussed," the Sgt. Major replied. "Since I don't see her as a front line fighter, I thought she could be of use making those noisemakers you told us about. Maybe she could come up with some other ideas as well."

Shaun nodded, "I can see that on a short term, but the future…well I don't think any of us knows what will come in the future. All we can do is hope for the best. The main obstacle right now is going to be Asuka. She is very attached to them and will not want them to move on right now."

"I understand that," Blake replied. "With the baby to care for and yours on the way, I can see her wanting them close."

"That will be for me to deal with. Do you have a deadline on when Alex needs to make a decision?" Shaun asked.

"I would say by the end of the week," Blake said. "They are still going to get the training they are doing now, but the shipboard work for Alex will need to commence soon. The captain doesn't see us needing to leave port for two weeks to a month unless we just want to take a turn around the islands for a shakedown."

Shaun nodded, "Very well then. I'll talk to my wife tonight and the girls after they get back from their evening walk. It should not take to long for a decision; they are not a pair to wait around on something like this."

Blake stood up, "I'll leave it to you then. I'm going to talk to Andrea now. I fully know how that's going to go through."

Shaun laughed as he stood also, "I'm sure that a certain young Lance from Liverpoo' will be ready to agree to it."

They shook hands and Shaun headed back to the bungalow while Blake stood for a minute more watching the stars before turning towards the Marines quarters.

000

After Shaun arrived back at their quarters, he talked to Asuka and then called the girls together. They sat quietly once he had explained what Blake had asked of him.

"So this would mean I might be out on the ship and Mi-chan would have to stay here?" Alex asked.

Shaun nodded, "For now at least the shipboard training will be at dock. Blake said it would be at least two weeks before he felt they were looking at setting sail. Then it would probably just be a turn around the islands to let the crew get used to working together."

"I don't know if I like that," Asuka said as she held Megumi to her shoulder, trying to get the child to burp.

"It would be fine," Misa replied. "I have faith in Ah-chan to stay safe and be careful."

Alex glanced at her girlfriend out of the corner of her eye. She noticed even though Misa acted calm, she was tense. "Are you sure, Mi-chan?"

"We will talk more about it later," Misa said. "Angie-san had already asked me about helping her out with some of her work, so I want to think about that also."

Megumi suddenly let out a huge belch and a coo as everyone laughed.

Asuka handed the child to Alex and nodded, "Let's sleep on this tonight before any decisions are made."

They all agreed and headed to their respective rooms.

000

After getting the child settled in her nest at their heads, Alex and Misa settled down and cuddled in the darkness.

"So…what do you think, Mi-chan?" Alex asked.

"Eh…we have to do something with our lives," Misa replied. "We cannot just hang around Asuka onee-chan and Papa-Shaun forever."

"Yeah I know," Alex said as she lay on her back, looking at the ceiling. "I'm just thinking about having to be gone away from you for maybe a long length of time. What if the ship gets ordered to England or the US? It could be months before we get back."

"I know," Misa said as she cuddled closer to Alex's side, head on her shoulder. "It seems like we only just found each other and once again we are looking at moving on."

Alex hugged the smaller girl closer and kissed the top of her head, "If you go to work with Angie, though, I would know you are well protected where ever you are. If you end up at Onohira like they are talking about, Saeko-senpai and the others will be there and I think that would make you just as safe as being near Busujima-sensei."

Misa nodded and raised her head to check on the baby. "It would also mean there would be other children. Until Asuka onee-chan gives birth, Megumi is the only child of her age here. I would like for her to have playmates her age when she starts to grow."

"Let's do this then," Alex said as she smiled in the dark. "In my mind I know we can't stay tied to each other every single day. While I don't want to be apart from you for even a minute, I do want to work at something useful."

"Can we work it to where we will have time together?" Misa asked. "I don't want to be alone in raising the baby."

"I'm sure that arrangements can be made."

"In that case, I don't think there is any reason to wait till the end of the week to make our decision. Let's tell them tomorrow," Misa said.

Alex nodded as they settled in to sleep.

000

 _Tokashiki Island: ZDay+92_

"Schweiger! Hook that safety line!" Davis called out.

"Aye-aye!" Alex replied as she clicked the metal locking hook to the ratlines she was climbing. It was attached to a rope and harness system that everyone wore that went aloft in case they fell from the rigging.

The ratlines were thin lines tied between the shrouds of the sailing ship, which formed a ladder going up the masts. Alex had never realized that there could be so many different names for what she originally thought was just a rope. Stays, backstays, shrouds, lines, ratlines, cables…the list went on and on.

She unhooked and moved it above her as she continued her climb, heading towards the crosstrees. She was careful about the safety line since she had already seen a fall the day before.

Sharp had been working his way along one of the spars when he lost his footing and plunged towards the deck. He was snatched short by his harness and once they decided he was unhurt, Davis made him hang there upside down for ten minutes reciting, "One hand for the ship! One hand for myself!"

Reaching the crosstree and top, Alex climbed through the lubber's hole next to the mast and started up the next set of shrouds heading for the mizzen topgallant mast. Looking forward to the main mast, she could see Andrea crossing the main topgallant crosstree. Glancing down she saw Davis and Blake watching intently. Taking a breath she started the next part of her climb.

The _Kaiwo Maru_ was a four-masted barque style ship. This meant she had the traditional fore, main and mizzen masts as well as a forth called a jigger. This mast had square sails at the top and a fore-and-aft jib sail at the bottom. The steel hulled ship was 110 meters (362 feet) long by 14 meters (46 feet) wide. It had two diesel engines that helped it enter and leave port, and could do 13 knots (24km/h) at full speed in calm seas.

Alex had never thought of it, but learned from the sailing master that there were maybe a hundred tall ships that were, hopefully, still sailing around the globe. _USCG Eagle_ and _HMS Surprise_ were a couple, as well as another Japanese ship call the _Kaisei_. The _Kaisei_ , a two masted brigantine, was much smaller than the _Kaiwo_ that unfortunately had not been heard from since the outbreak. She also now knew there were several sailing ships on display around Japan, and plans were being made to retrieve them to be placed back in service if possible.

 _It took the zombie apocalypse to bring another age-of-sail to the world,_ she thought as she crossed onto the mizzen topgallant top and stood up on it beside the mizzen royal mast, the second highest on the ship. Looking forward again she saw Andrea waving at her from the main royal top, which was slightly higher. Alex waved back and then looked down at the small figures of the Sgt. Major and corporal.

"Take five and then come back down!" Davis called up, cupping his hands around his mouth to be heard.

Alex waved and settled to take in the view. She could see the palace as well as a long line of coast from her perch. Off the coast a few fishing boats worked and further out she could see what looked like whales broaching the water. _I could really fall in love with this!_ she thought as she smiled at the scene. Her mind turned to other thoughts though and soon she began the climb back to the deck.

"The next trick will be doing it while we are underway," Davis said with a smirk on his face after she arrived.

"I'm looking forward to it!" Alex replied as Andrea laughed.

000

It was over a week later when they set sail for a 'turn around the islands' as the captain called it. Alex knew it was to get the crew used to the motion of the ship, and do training that just could not be done at dock.

She and Andrea were on the fore-deck working through silat forms when all hands on deck was called.

They gathered in formation on the mid-deck as Blake and the bosun's mate came forward.

"All crew prepare to render honors to the starboard!" the mate called out. "Sailors to the shrouds! Marines to the gunnels! Snap to it!"

Wondering what was going on, Alex followed the others to the top of the side of the ship. This border was wide enough to stand on in calm seas like now and was the spot where the shrouds started climbing the masts.

Sgt. Major Blake was the last to climb up and stood beside Alex looking down the line of men and women. "Dress the line! Look sharp, Marines! Eyes forward!" he bawled out as they shuffled and spaced themselves.

The ship took a gentle turn to the port, no more than a few degrees, and settled dead ahead again. As they stood to attention, two Japanese destroyers slid into sight followed by an aircraft carrier.

 _HMS Ark Royal_.

"SALUTE!" Blake roared out as the huge gray flattop came abreast of them. The fog horn on the _Maru_ blew three times and was followed by a _WOOP! WOOP! WOOOOOP!_ from the _Ark_.

Even though she was at attention and saluting, Alex's mouth dropped open as she saw a young man in navy whites, with a peaked officer's hat standing on the carrier's flying bridge saluting back, along with the crew on the deck. "Isn't that…" Alex started, to which Blake shushed her.

A few minutes later, after a medium sized freighter that was trailing along behind the _Ark_ had passed, Blake called out again, "Recover salute! Stand at ease and dismissed!"

Alex dropped her hand and turned to the older man, questions on her face.

"Go ahead, I know you want to know," Blake said as he watched the ships disappear in the distance.

"Wasn't that Midshipman Carrew? I thought the zeds got him when they overrun the ship?"

Blake grimaced for a second before replying, "That was _Captain_ Carrew. He was the last surviving bridge officer. It seems Captain McElroy, God rest his soul, shoved the boy into a metal locker when the bridge was attacked. He was locked in there a day and a half before some of the surviving Jack Tars* cleaned out the command center and found him. So being the highest ranking officer left alive the job of captain fell to him."

"I feel for him," Alex said quietly. "Can he handle the task? The pressure?"

"He is an officer of Her Majesty's Royal Navy. He may be young, but like old England, he will stand. He's lucky that almost half of the crew survived by locking the inner bulkheads of the ship down and waited for rescue instead of trying to fight it out."

Alex was quiet for a moment as she thought about was Blake saying with such pride in his voice. "So where are they heading now?" she asked.

"To a naval base in the Indian Ocean called Diego Garcia," Blake replied. "It is a British owned territory that has a US Navy support facility. There are pre-positioned supplies, weapons and fuel there that can help resupply a lot of what was used during the Izu Peninsula campaign, which set up the safe zone and that base your young friends are at. My understanding is since the _Ark_ is short on crew it will take up position about halfway between Okinawa-jima and the home islands as a refuel and relay point for helicopters and the like. I heard they are taking a lot of people that can sail ships with them in case they can commandeer anything sitting in the harbor at Diego. A tanker full of fuel or a ship full of rations and ammo would go a long way right now."

Alex nodded as she watched the man's eyes looking to the west before he turned and climbed down to the deck.

"Back to what you were doing! We have a lot of work to do before I'm satisfied!" the Sgt. Major cried out.

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow.

*Jack Tar – an honored nickname for Royal Navy seamen.

EN: 1st posted 5/31/15


	4. Chapter 4

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters.

* * *

 _At sea en route to Izu Peninsula_ _: ZDay+190_

The trip by sea to the Izu Peninsula was not as long as Alex imagined it would be. Once the sails were set and the twin diesel engines switched off, the ship raced along with a speed that thrilled.

Following the general ocean current as it flowed north, the captain of the _Kaiwo Maru_ had set a steady course to what had been the town of Kakisaki on the south-east edge of the peninsula. The crew rushed to their positions as land came into view.

Alex sat in the bowsprit netting, fidgeting with the hand-embroidered point-down chevron that adorned each of her newly woven uniform's sleeves. A crop found in the jungles of northern Okinawa was proving to be a god-send. What was apparently intended as a drug crop, turned out to be its non-intoxicating cousin, hemp. The cottage industry looms were quickly dusted off and weavers set to work instantly, manufacturing durable clothing and other items necessary to everyday life in the newly liberated islands.

"Lance Corporal Schweiger!" the voice called over the gunwale. Alex looked up to see Davis peering at her. "Present on deck. We make landfall in less than half an hour."

"Aye aye, Corporal," Alex called back as she scrambled out of the shroud. She paused on the gunwale for a second to look seaward at the JMSDF patrol boat holding station six hundred meters off their starboard side. It had joined them just south of the Safe Zone and stayed with them ever since.

Davis flashed his winning smile as he herded the girl into formation. He turned to Sergeant Major Blake and snapped to attention. "Ship's compliment all present and correct, Sar Major!"

Blake, in turn, spun an about face and saluted the ship's lieutenant, "Landing party assembled and ready for dispatch, sah!"

"Very good, Sergeant Major," the lieutenant replied in lilting accented English. "We are under orders to maintain sight of land without docking until it is clear. Last thing we want is to have the ship overrun. The dispatch party from FOB Onohira should be meeting us on the beach north of the marina by the time we make land fall. After that they, and you, will proceed to the harbor to secure it. You may fall out and prepare the boats."

"Onohira party sighted!" the voice travelled down from the foretop. "They're approaching from the south and are not alone!"

Blake pulled his binoculars from a pouch and focused them toward shore. "Bollocks!"

"Zeddies, Sar Major?" Davis asked.

"And plenty more beside, Davis," Blake sighed. "We may have a rough time in landing."

Davis smiled once again, "Wouldn't have it any other way, Sar Major."

The big ship reduced sail and slowed to a crawl to allow the landing party to depart.

The Marine team went over the side of the ship into a couple of inflatable rubber zodiacs. A ship's crewman used the small quiet outboard motors on the back to steer. The Marines all straddled the sides and held onto the hand grips as the boats started toward shore. The waves were not very rough and they arrived without getting too wet in the surf.

The crack of small arms and explosions drifted across the water signaling a heavy fight. As the shore party neared the beach, muzzle flashes and flying bodies greeted them as two Strykers bore down toward the landing party.

The landings were made a short distance away, giving the Strykers enough time to set up a perimeter. Alex and the Marines jumped out of the boats into knee deep water and ran for their lives toward the waiting Strykers. The boats then backed away and headed back towards the ship.

"Welcome back to Japan, gents." Lieutenant Rika Minami said as she accepted the salute from Blake, as his men and women boarded the vehicles. "I thought there were more of you."

"There are, Leftenant, but with a hot LZ, we did not dare risk docking until we were able to secure the marina. We have a few civilians and consumer goods to transport back to Onohira."

"Understood, Sergeant Major," Rika turned to the driver. "I have an idea. Get us out to the pier to our east when we get to the harbor. Set up a defensive perimeter and we can land the civilians. Flannigan, can you get me defensible space?"

"Yes, ma'am," said a distinctly American voice. "There is a bottleneck at the harbor access road that will make for easy defense, provided we keep the approach from the sea clear."

"Understood, Paddy. I'll get some noise makers set up in the hills to the south, that'll keep'em occupied while we get the civvies into the back and buckled in. Sar Major, I will need you and your troop to keep the seaward side clear. Can I count on you?"

"Without question, Leftenant," Blake replied. He turned to his command. "You heard the leftenant; watch our arses and we all get home safe."

"Aye, Sar Major!" they all chorused.

Rika then reached out and tapped the man standing in the right hatch on the leg. He squatted down and looked at her as she gave him instructions. "Be ready to 'plow the road' if we get a big group coming at us. Otherwise hold your fire and conserve ammo, Hirano."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied as Alex, who was sitting in the forward most seat near the hatches, focused on him upon hearing his name and voice. He was wearing a crewman's helmet and a set of goggles, so Alex couldn't be sure it was who she thought it was, that is until he turned his head toward her and smiled. Giving her a thumb up, he stood back up into his position again.

The lieutenant smirked at both of them before standing back in her hatch herself.

Alex glared at Davis, Edmonds and Sharpe as they chuckled.

After a few minutes of them bouncing around inside the APC, Rika called out, "Here we are! All out, set a perimeter to the seaward side!"

Blake reached up, hit the controls for the rear ramp and the Marines piled out and began to spread, covering each other as they went.

Once clear, Alex stopped next to Blake and Nelson as they set a ready reserve beside the Stryker in case needed by the others who were spreading out across the pier.

As she watched out to sea, the sailing ship turned toward the port as the patrol boat suddenly turned north and began to pick up speed. "What are they doing, Sgt. Major?" pointing as she asked.

Blake shook his head he didn't know, but a voice called out to them from above. Alex looked up to see Hirano manning a .50 cal.

"They've sighted an unidentified boat or ship coming toward us. They're going to check it out," he called down.

Alex was squinting to the north when Blake held out his set of binoculars for her to use. Putting them to her eyes and focusing, she found what the patrol boat was interested in. It looked like a small ferry and she could see people moving around on the deck. As it came closer, she realized by the way the ship was moving it was adrift. Then she understood.

The decks were packed with zombies.

As she watched, the patrol boat first circled the ship, and then took position to the landward side of it. Soon after, it opened fire. The big deck gun boomed over and over, as water splashed high near the hull of the death ship.

"They are trying to hole it below the water line," Blake told her, "If they can do enough damage quickly, it will go down fast and no longer be a danger."

There was a larger, deeper boom and suddenly flames were shooting up from the superstructure of the target ship. It listed to one side and undead spilled from the decks into the water. Within minutes the wreck rolled over on its side, before shooting out plumes of water and flame as it sank beneath the waves.

"Now what are they up to?" Alex asked as the patrol boat raced back and forth across the spot where the ship went down.

Blake watched for a moment before answering, "Looks like they are trying to suck the zeds into their screws. Chop them up so they will be no danger to the people on shore. They're not gonna drown, you know."

Alex shivered slightly as Nelson said, "Ugg!" Alex nodded in agreement as she fingered the hilt of her sword.

Their attention turned back to the _Kaiwo Maru_ as she turned inbound and passed the head of the breakwater. Captain Tsugumo could be seen on what was called the flying bridge, directing the ship as it threaded the narrow passage between the breakwater and pier. With an expert hand, he maneuvered the ship to starboard once they were in the marina, and eased closer to the spot they would dock. Lines were thrown, caught by those on shore and tied to the pier. The winches on deck then pulled the ship in close. Alex had learned this was called 'warping' the ship in.

Within thirty minutes the ship was tied up and the crew was assembling the onboard crane to lift the cargo and baggage ashore.

Alex focused southward to the coast road as a couple of Humvees, a semi-truck and several open top military trucks drove closer. The second Stryker, which had been blocking the road down to the pier, moved and let the convoy by before resuming its place. The trucks lined up to one side as the Humvees pulled closer to the ship and people began to climb out.

That's when Alex saw her.

A dark haired man, who had been riding in the top hatch of the first Humvee, climbed down and opened the driver's side back door. A tall woman with dark violet hair stepped out. She was dressed in a black uniform with knee high boots. Her hands wore half gloves; her left hand rode lightly on the hilt of a red sheathed sword. The right one reached out letting her fingers drift across the hand of the man holding the door for her. They both smiled as she stepped clear for him to close the door.

"That's Komuro…" Alex said as Blake turned and focused where she was looking.

"You know them, Lance Corporal?" Blake asked.

Alex nodded, "That's her, Sar Major. Busujima-senpai and the man with her is Komuro Takashi."

"Ah…so that's Lord Busujima's famous daughter," he said.

Alex nodded and they heard Hirano call out, "Zeds on my 10 o'clock! Three so far." He rotated the machine gun around as Alex and Blake looked around the front of the Stryker where he was pointing.

Three undead, two men and a woman, were shuffling out of a stand of trees located between the water and the highway.

"We'll handle it, gunner," Blake called out as Hirano keyed his throat mic and waved to the older man he understood.

Blake glanced over to Alex as they rounded the front of the APC, "Ready for a little exercise, Lance Corporal?"

Grinning, Alex nodded, "Aye aye, Sar Major!"

He waved her forward and she walked ahead purposefully. Checking to make sure her sword was loose she advanced slowly but steadily towards the trio. After getting into a good position she drew her sword and quickly went through a front slash, an upper thrust and then a spin with a back slash. The blade slid through the flesh like butter as two heads hit the ground before the bodies did. The third target stumbled around for a second before its head slipped from its shoulders.

Alex checked her front and sides for more targets before cleaning her blade on one of the undead's clothes. Turning back toward the Stryker she was surprised to find Saeko and Takashi standing next to Blake. She paused for a second before walking over and bowing low before them.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Busujima-senpai, and you also, Komuro-san," she said.

They bowed back slightly, "I see you are putting our gift to good use, Schweiger-san." Saeko said. She paused and lifted her hand to her right ear where Alex could see a com piece. "I apologize; we are being called to the ship right now. We will talk later." Bowing again slightly, she and Takashi turned and jogged back toward the _Kaiwo Maru_.

"Oi! Me too!" said Hirano as he dropped down into the Stryker. A few seconds later he was replaced by a red headed young man with a big smile.

Alex and Blake moved back to their original position and watched as the captain and 'super cargo', Minister Takagi and his wife, disembarked the ship. There were peals of laughter, as before introductions could be made, a pink haired girl ran out from behind the Humvees, and threw her arms around Yuriko with a cry of "MAMA!"

Alex laughed as Blake looked her way, "I'm going to assume that is Takagi-san's daughter?"

Alex nodded, "Takagi Saya, and the boy that was on the machine gun before was Hirano Kohta, who the guys told me is now her boyfriend."

Blake nodded as he looked around checking up on the others. "Well I'm sure we'll get to see everyone later. For right now let's get our attention back on our job till time to pull out."

"Aye-aye, Sar Major," Alex replied.

000

After a few minutes of introductions, the group of officials broke up. Minister Takagi and Captain Tsugumo climbed into a Humvee with another man as Lieutenant Minami, Yuriko and the rest came over to climb into the Stryker.

Takashi and Saeko paused at the ramp and, as Alex watched them touch hands slightly and whispered to each other. Saeko smiled, nodded to Alex, and then climbed inside.

Takashi walked over and snapped to attention in front of Blake, saluting before speaking, "Cadet Komuro Takashi of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Forces, at your service, Sergeant Major. I will be your guide and stay with you until we get back to the base."

"Sergeant Major RJF Blake of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, Cadet," Blake said. "And, I am enlisted personnel; you don't salute me. I believe you know Lance Corporal Schweiger."

Takashi laughed, "Yes, Sergeant Major, I slightly know the…Lance Corporal?"

Alex blushed, "It's kind of a long story which I'll tell later, Cadet Komuro." She paused, and then smiled slightly, "Cadet? Does that mean I out rank you?"

Takashi frowned, "I don't see why not, everyone else does! Even the damn dog out ranks me!"

Blake, Alex and Nelson all cackled with laughter as the other Marines looked over and smiled.

000

The first Stryker and the Humvee with Minster Takagi aboard left as soon as they were loaded. The second Stryker moved closer in and took over watch. Another hour went by before the first load of cargo was off the ship and loaded into the semi.

"Why are we not seeing more undead?" Alex asked.

"Listen," Takashi said. "Hear that noise?"

As she concentrated, she could hear what sounded like the wailing of a siren in the distance. "What's that?" she asked the boy.

"Zed trap. It's a noisemaker run on a car battery. We set them up and let the undead gather around it before wiping them out in one blow, normally with aircraft, but today we will just let it run down and retrieve it in a few days when They wander away."

Blake nodded, "Very smart work that!"

Takashi touched his earpiece and looked to the man, "Looks like they are done loading and will be ready to go in a few minutes, Sergeant Major. Corporal Yanagiba says be ready to withdraw. He will cover everyone from the APC and we will be leaving a Humvee and team here until the trucks make their second trip in case they are needed."

"What about protecting the ship, Sar Major?" Alex asked with concern on her face.

Blake smiled slightly, happy the girl was paying attention, "The security team will stay aboard with the crew. Once the gangway is raised there is little or no danger of being boarded by the zeds."

Takashi nodded, "Plus you're scheduled to be here for several days before leaving. We will be sending trucks and a Stryker to rotate the crew onboard with those going with us this trip so everyone gets time at the base."

Corporal Yanagiba whistled and waved his hand over his head in a circle. Takashi and Blake waved back. Blake, using hand signals, called his people to an open backed truck to load. Once aboard, they waved to the crew onboard the ship as they pulled away.

Alex spared a moment to blow a kiss at Misa as she stood on the gunwale. Misa held baby Megumi into view and returned the gesture with a wave. "I miss her already," the girl said.

Davis leaned in and patted Alex on the knee. "No worries, Lance Corporal. I trust Sergeants White and Pegg to keep an eye out for her. She'll be with us before nightfall. We just have to get the dry goods into Onohira before the civilians can follow."

"I understand, Corporal," Alex sighed. "Still doesn't make it any easier. We haven't really been apart much since day one."

"Keep that close to your heart, Alex. It makes the reunions that much sweeter."

000

The ride passed quickly as Alex watched the scenery fly past. They ran south a few minutes and then turned inland. The convoy threaded through some business and then residential areas, before moving into wooded country for a bit. They came down a slight hill to slow at a series of three perimeter moats with draw bridges. Village buildings mostly lined the west side of the road with new construction going on in an open field to the east.

The trucks stopped in the middle of the road and everyone unloaded. The bosun's mates and chief petty officers called the navy crew to attention as Blake handled his Marines. They all fell in and on command spread out for bite inspection. Once that was completed they drew back into ranks and waited for the NCO's to report.

A nice looking man with sandy hair in his mid-thirties stood before them with Lieutenant Minami to his right rear and another man on his left. Alex could see the Takagis, Captain Tsugumo and a few others standing off to the side watching the proceedings.

"On behalf of the Combined Allied Forces, welcome to Forward Patrol Base Onohira. I am Captain Tomasa the base commander. To my right is Lieutenant Minami, my second, and to my left is Chief Sgt. Tatsumi. We will be taking you to the front of the mess hall where you are to report in for billeting and dining hours. Now, I will leave you in the capable hands of Lt. Minami."

Tomasa snapped a salute and about-faced toward a large, feudal-era styled compound, as the Takagi's and several others went with him. Rika stepped forward and addressed the assembled men and women in Japanese.

"We have a few rules in place to make sure everything runs smoothly. First and foremost, this is a refugee camp. Make no mistakes about that. The civilians here are scared, tired and alone. Please be respectful. The items you brought up from Okinawa are to be distributed among them."

Rika took a few minutes to scan the assembled troops before her and smirked. "I will admit it's great to see some familiar faces as well as new ones. Maybe we haven't quite reached the end of the road if there are still people willing to stand and fight this menace."

The sailors and Marines mumbled among themselves for a few moments. Rika cleared her throat and gestured to the low earthen berm that surrounded the compound. "Number two rule. No one is allowed over the top alone and certainly not after dark, which brings me to rule number three. Noise discipline is in effect at dusk. No shouting, screaming or loud singing. Normal conversation is fine, but be cautious. We have a good thing going right now, the last thing we need is a bunch of creepers filling our ditches making it easier for others to walk over them."

Chief Sergeant Tatsumi leaned in and whispered into Rika's ear. Her eyes flashed immediately onto Alex, "Young lady, step forward and identify yourself."

As commanded, Alex took two steps forward and saluted in proper British fashion. "Honorary Lance Corporal, Alexis Yukari Schweiger, temporarily assigned to the Royal Marine detachment stationed onboard _JMSDF Kaiwo Maru_ , ma'am."

"How did a young woman such as yourself end up working for the Brits, Schweiger?"

"The Lance Corporal does not quite understand the Lieutenant's question, ma'am," Alex replied stiffly.

Rika chuckled softly and smiled, "And is very polite to her superiors, the Sergeant Major taught you well. What I'm asking is how you came to serve in the British Armed forces?" Rika said. "Why not the Japanese or the Americans?"

"The Lance Corporal regrets there is not enough time to debrief the Lieutenant at this moment, ma'am. Perhaps after muster, if the Lieutenant is still curious."

Rika nodded with a smirk, "I'll hold the Lance Corporal to it." She returned her attention to the line, "By the way, I'm not picking on the Lance Corporal; I just want to show everyone that we have a varied mix of people from different backgrounds and ages here. Just because someone is a teenager or not dressed in a JSDF uniform does not mean they are not a vital part of this base's operation. Back into formation, Schweiger."

Alex saluted again and did a smart two steps back. She returned to her place as Rika paced up and down the line. "And now, rule number four. I hope this goes without saying, but you will be added into our rotation while you are here to help where your skills are best suited. I will need extra eyes on lookout and some strong backs to distribute the stuff you brought up from Okinawa. The captain has plans to raid the nearby towns for everything not nailed down. Food, clothing, hygiene products and laundry soap are highest priority. Extra hands will make things go faster. We can make our water potable, but maybe extra water bottles would be useful as well. You will be informed on more of this later. Oh, even though it is only late October it is already getting colder and we have seen signs of snow. I'm betting we have the nukes to thank for that, but what it means is everyone should make sure they have cold weather coats and gear. If you don't, see our supply officer to be issued some.

Rika took a few minutes to collect her thoughts, "Any questions?" Seeing none, she called the troop to attention then dismissed them.

Alex started to wander towards the building identified as the mess to see where she would be billeted during her stay.

"Schweiger-san," a voice floated to her ears. She spun in place to see Saeko standing in easy posture, her left hand resting on her blade. "Please follow me. I want to show you around and ask you a few questions."

Alex bowed deeply, "Of course, senpai. Let me inform the Sar Major and then I am at your disposal."

Saeko smiled demurely and nodded. Alex took off at a quick trot and snapped to attention in front of Blake.

"Sar Major, my senpai wants to show me around. Have I your permission?"

"Go ahead, Alex. Just be sure to report to me before sundown."

"Aye, Sar Major," she turned a smart about face and returned to Saeko's side, "As promised."

"I watched you on the beach this morning, Schweiger-san. Your forms have improved dramatically."

"It's all thanks to you and your father, senpai," Alex said blushing.

Saeko chuckled. "I should think my father deserves all the credit," she said. "I recall we had little interaction while at school, but your praise is appreciated nonetheless. How is my father of late?"

"He rarely discusses his feelings in class, senpai," Alex replied. "But, when we are chatting on the verandah with the Takagi's in the evenings, he speaks highly of you. I know he misses you, and wishes he could be with you."

Saeko raised an eyebrow, "What leads you to this conclusion, Schweiger-san?"

Alex grinned, "I hear the inflection in his voice when conversation turns to you." She stopped and stared at the berm encircling the camp. "He gets a small lump in his throat. He tries to hide it with a cough, but I know it all too well, especially since I have a lot of experience with that."

"Oh?"

"My father spent more time on deployment than at home with me and mom." Alex sighed. "I only wish I got to say good bye…"

Saeko stood silent as she waited for Alex to collect herself. _If it's something she wishes to share, she will do so,_ the tall girl thought.

Alex coughed once then turned back to Saeko, "What all do you want to show me, senpai?"

"I was hoping you would honor me with a demonstration in my dojo."

000

Later Alex fidgeted as she stood guard at the camp's innermost northern drawbridge. She had spent a couple of hours with Saeko, first going through katas, and then talking about what she felt like she needed to work on for future training. The sun crept its way across the sky and she waited anxiously for some word – any news – that the last convoy was in route from the Kaiwo Maru. Davis, who stood just to the other side nearest the control levers, chuckled as he watched his newest recruit worry like a school girl at her first dance.

"Relax, Alex," he tried to comfort. "In this situation, no news _is_ good news indeed. If the convoy had run into more trouble than they could handle, we would have known about it."

Alex hung her head. "I know that intellectually, Corporal," she sighed. "It's just…I worry about her so much when I'm not around to know she's safe."

Davis laughed aloud, bringing the attentions of the gate operator.

Their conversation was interrupted by the faint sound of diesel engines whining up a shallow grade.

"And there is your answer, Lance Corporal," Davis said. "Let us show them what Royal Marines are all about. When that bridge drops, you snap to attention like I showed you and never let them see you fret over anything."

Alex spared a smirk, "Aye-aye, Corporal!"

000

The last convoy from port arrived at the outer perimeter and the bridge duly dropped. One by one, the trucks and vehicles entered into the circles. The third bridge went down, and as commanded, Alex and Davis snapped to their best parade attention and saluted the convoy as it passed. The command Humvee brought up the rear and Captain Tomasa saluted his honor guard as the bridge went up, sealing the compound from the outside world.

"You are dismissed, Lance Corporal," the voice sounded from behind. Alex turned to see Lance Corporal Edmonds strolling up, Andrea Jensen close at hand. He gestured to Davis and Alex. "The Sar Major told us to relieve you two. Alex, go find that woman of yours and make her feel like the only other person in the world."

Alex took a pace before skidding to a stop. She turned to Davis and saluted him, then Edmonds. As they returned her salute, she squeezed Andrea's hand. "Good luck and stay safe."

"You too, kiddo," Andrea whispered into Alex's ear. "Take care of yourselves, see you later."

Alex took off at a run to where the convoy had stopped. She slowed up next to Blake and watched as the passengers disembarked and submitted to a bite search. She scanned the crowd until her eyes fell on Misa, directing some men on where to stack the crates they were unloading. To the surprise of everyone present, the raucous cawing and clucking of numerous chickens greeted the camp residents.

Rika approached ship's Captain Tsugumo as he chatted with Captain Tomasa.

"What in Heaven's name is that racket?" she shouted above the din.

"Your new protein supply, Lieutenant," Captain Tsugumo laughed. "It has come to my attention that Okinawa has far more chickens than people, so we agreed to share the wealth. The chickens lay the eggs, you eat the eggs or let them make more chickens to be eaten later. Simple as that."

"Where are we supposed to put all these creatures?" Rika asked.

"I am told you have a logistical genius on site," Tsugumo said. "I presume that is her job."

Rika grimaced. "Not to worry, Lieutenant," Tsugumo said. "We brought the hutches and enclosures as well. It wouldn't do to let these fowl run free."

"Yes, sir," Rika said. She turned to a trooper standing nearby, "Go and find Supply Officer Takagi. Let her know what she has on her hands."

The trooper took off at a run and disappeared from sight.

"Oh what the hell is this?" the shrill voice cut through the dusk a few minutes later. Alex caught sight of pink pigtails bobbing over to the crates of clucking chickens. "You realize these little demons will caw and that will attract every walker in earshot!"

"And that's why, Miss Takagi, we have made a few adjustments to their coops."

Saya spun around to see a blond-haired man in desert DPM come around the other side of the truck.

"Sergeant Phillips," she said with a slight nod. "What brings you back to Onohira?"

"It would seem the Emperor has a keen interest in making sure this camp serves as a model for any and all future refugee camps. To that end, he sent me along to make any final preparations and adjustments." He caught sight of Rika and snapped a crisp salute, "My apologies, ma'am; I did not see you at first."

Rika returned the salute and walked up to meet Shaun, "No problem, Sergeant. I know what it's like dealing with our resident genius." She cast a wink at Saya, before turning back to the man again, "Once you get everything squared away, find me and I'll get you put up for the night."

Shaun saluted once more and proceeded to bark orders at the crew unloading the trucks.

"Ah-chan!" Alex caught Misa's attention and the smaller girl ran over and jumped into Alex's arms, smothering her with kisses. The display attracted the attentions of the older troopers, some who laughed, some who shook their heads, but no one displayed outward disapproval.

000

Saeko showed Alex and Misa to the room they would occupy in the main house. To Saya's consternation, their room abutted the one she shared with Kohta, but she remained silent about it in company and the house was rather full of guests at the moment. After dinner that night, the students congregated around the fire pit as the adults excused themselves. Misa took time to thank her former classmates for the gifts they had bestowed upon her and Alex.

"I regret the temporary loss of the math book," she said, her face pressed to the floor. "In the confusion following the outbreak on Ikei, it was left behind. The US forces are presently clearing the last of Them from the main islands and we can return shortly after the New Year to get it."

Rei lifted her chin and smiled, "Don't stress about a book, Misa-san. Books are replaceable. People are not so easy. We are just happy to see you and your family alive and safe."

The other Fujimi survivors all nodded in agreement. Saeko offered another cup of tea then turned to Alex, "I compliment your blade work this morning at the dock, Schweiger-san. Your form has indeed improved dramatically." The sword mistresses had said this before, but wanted to repeat it in front of the others.

Alex blushed and lowered her head, "I really cannot accept the credit for that, senpai. Your father trained me the best he could with what he had to work with."

"I had noticed the Busujima form," Saeko nodded. "I trust he was not too harsh in his tutelage."

"Compared to how the Royal Marines kicked my ass getting me ready, I admit your father was cake." The students all shared a laugh. "But in all seriousness, I cannot thank you enough for recommending me, senpai. I only hope I can bear up and bring honor to your house."

Saeko spared a smirk and a nod, but said nothing. Takashi leaned in and whispered into her ear. He then cleared his throat, "It's getting late and there is still much to do. Tomorrow is another early day, so let's all turn in."

000

Takashi sat on the porch overlooking the garden and watched as his breath formed steam in the cold air. He felt Saeko as she slipped behind him. She set a steaming tea cup beside him and wrapped her arms around his chest. "It would seem from Captain Tomasa that they may remain behind for a while," she told him. "It'll be good for them to deal with their contemporaries."

Takashi nodded. He reached around and brought Saeko into his lap. They nuzzled in the semi-dark as the sounds of night filled the air. A muffled sound emanated to their left and they saw the sliding door to Alex and Misa's room open slightly. Alex crept onto the decking, sat down and placed earbuds into her ears.

Takashi had to stifle a laugh as he and Saeko watched Alex groove to the music. Presently, Misa crept up behind Alex as she jiggled and squirmed, her hands moving in rhythm to the sounds on her iPod.

"Oi, you," Misa said as she grabbed Alex by the collar. "You wanna play DJ, do so indoors and away from normal people."

Saeko covered her mouth as Takashi choked on his tea. Alex protested the rude treatment, but soon turned the tables to mirthful laughter.

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow.

EN: 1st posted 6/7/15


	5. Chapter 5

We do not own Highschool of the DEAD or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 5

 _The next morning: Zday+196_

Alex awoke with Misa's back cuddled against her chest. She leaned forward and smelled her girlfriend's hair with a smile. Carefully and quietly, Alex slipped away and out of their room.

The temperature dropped during the night and four inches of fresh snow now lay on the compound with more coming down. It was still mostly dark as she padded down the porch, shivering slightly in the crisp winter air. Alex offered a short prayer for Col Franco once again for issuing her an Army fleece sweater. She entered the bathroom, and after reliving herself, came out intending to head back to the warm bed with her lover. She paused when she heard the rattle of pots in the kitchen next to the bath.

 _I wonder who's up this early?_ she thought. Turning that way, she stepped in the door to find Takashi putting kettles on the fire to boil.

"Ohayo, Alex-san," he said as she leaned against the counter by the sink.

"Ohayo, Takashi-kun. Up early for a special reason this morning?"

The boy shook his head, "No, I have found since the outbreak I tend to wake up early. That is unless someone will not let me out of the futon…"

Alex laughed silently, knowing just who that 'someone' was. She looked Takashi up and down for a minute. _He sure has grown up; he's gotten much more…manly. Kohta too for that matter. Very much so!_

"What is it?" Takashi asked with a smirk.

"I was just thinking how good you look. You've really changed since I last saw you, and all for the better."

"Are you hitting on my husband this morning, Schweiger-san?"

Alex looked around to find Saeko standing just inside the doorway in her kimono, a stern look on her face. She panicked slightly and began waving frantically.

"Ahhhh! No senpai! I was just commenting on how much Takashi-san has changed!"

Before the swordswoman could say anything else, Rika came stumbling into the kitchen wearing a pair of shorts, a tank top, and a really bad case of bed head. She wove her way past Saeko and Alex to end up with her arms around Takashi's waist as she snuggled into his chest.

"Takashi!" she whined, "Come to bed with me and keep me warm! Shizuka's being mean to me!" She raised her head from his chest as he put his arms around her and patted her on the back. Focusing on Alex now she raised her arm and pointed, "Lance Corporal, are you trying to move in on _our_ man?"

Alex's eyes bulged at this and looked back and forth between Saeko and Rika.

"And just what is going on in here!? Are you eyeing up another woman?"

Alex looked at the door where she found Misa standing, her hands on her hips, firm look on her face. Behind her Saya and Kohta stood smirking.

Everyone broke out in laughter as Alex lowered her head and dropped her arms to her sides, "I think I've been had!"

"Nya-ha!" Misa squealed and jumped into Alex's arms. "This is payback for the incident in the bomb shelter."

"B-but that was Asuka nee-chan's fault," Alex whined. "She had me for the laugh too."

" _And_ the time in the kitchen when we first met her," Misa scolded. "All those zombie movie references!"

Alex smiled at the memory and stifled a snort. Takashi extricated himself from Rika's grasp and finished lighting the fire in the pit. "I'll finish putting the kettles on," he said, snickering slightly. "It's cold and I think some hot tea will be good for us."

Alex sulked in a corner as the rest gathered cups, tea and a small canister later revealed to be sugar. Eventually she came around and joined the group as they sipped their drinks quietly in the gathering dawn. Rei padded in, Paddy followed shortly behind.

"I have word there are to be fresh eggs," Rei said as Saya offered her a cup of tea. "Want to see if we can get any? It would be nice to have something other than canned food, or that powered stuff Cookie has to serve in the mess hall."

"We brought up salt fish and pork, also," Misa offered. "The fishing off Okinawa is really good this time of year, so we have more than we could eat. Figured you guys could have it."

"Lemme talk to the Captain," Rika said. "I can't promise anything, but I might get us some for lunch."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Alex said.

Rika winked, "When we're off duty, please call me Rika. Everyone does."

Alex nodded and sipped her tea, "Is the duty roster posted for today? It wasn't ready when I checked in last night."

"It should have gone up last night after the dog watch," Rika said. "I know Sergeant Major Blake was supposed to take some of his detachment over the top and see about raiding a nearby village."

"I heard Sergeant White say the same thing," Misa said. "I think you're supposed to go with them, Ah-chan."

Alex gulped the can of mixed fruit she was holding and chased it down with the dregs of her tea. "I better get dressed and report, then. Thank you all for looking after us."

Takashi smiled, "Our pleasure, Alex-san. Be careful out there."

000

Blake paced up and down his detachment, a light dusting of snow crunching under his feet. As Misa surmised, Alex was included in that morning's raid. She adjusted her sword to rest more comfortably on her left hip. A suppressed M92 pistol rested in a thigh holster just above the ragged, healed hole in her leg; a souvenir from Osaka. In the small of her back, a newly forged short parang nestled in her webbing, courtesy of the US Marine Corps and Andrea Jensen.

"Right, this is what's on today's agenda, lads and lasses," Blake said in near flawless Japanese as he came to a stop dead center of the line. "We have been tasked with a little…" he spared a glance and a smirk to Alex. "Scavenger hunt."

Tomasa stepped up and took over, "I need you to go over the hump and into the outskirts of Shimoda, some few klicks south west of our position. You will have one Stryker, three trucks and two hummers going along with you on this panty-raid. According to the maps in our possession, there are a bunch of hotels along the coast road north of the southern safe zone. These are your primary targets. You are charged with acquiring hygiene products – soap, shampoos, toothbrushes and toothpaste. Sheets, clothing, towels and shoes also need to come with you. Any questions?"

"If there are any civilian refugees, Captain?" one of the JSDF troopers asked.

"They ride in the Stryker," Tomasa said. "Sorry, but that means you may end up riding on top. Can't say I envy that in this weather. Blake, you and your command will be in charge of protecting the acquisition team. I hate to put you out there like that, but your lads have the most combat experience – living and dead – of all of us and we need your skills."

"Understood, sah," Blake said. "We'll get everyone home, safe as houses."

"I'm glad I can count on you, Sergeant Major. Get 'em mounted up and move' em out."

Blake snapped a salute to Tomasa then faced his detachment, "Right, you soppy wankers! You heard the Captain! Double time it!"

000

"Who was the older Japanese man that was standing with you, Sergeant Major?" Alex asked as the trucks slowly crawled over the drawbridges going south.

"That's Toda-san," Blake replied. "He's the chief firearms instructor and armorer for the base. He's also your friend Hirano's boss. He was retired, but was helping out at their original base when the outbreak happened. They are very lucky to have him."

Edmonds fiddled with the jam-clear button on his M-4, "Why are we using these, Sar Major?"

"Because the Captain said so, Lance Corporal," Blake said, then let a grin creep across his face. "In all truth, it's because they have suppressors and our L-85s don't. We need to be quiet once we get into town, lest the natives find out we're there."

"But won't the zeds hear the motors," White asked. "What's the point in using suppressors if we roar into town loud as Mad Max?"

Blake frowned a moment, "Ours is not to reason why…"

"Ours is but to do and die," the remaining Marines all chanted in response.

Blake looked to Alex, "Lance Corporal, will you be alright out there? You didn't _have_ to come."

"Yes, Sar Major," Alex said with a happy grin. "I _did_ have to be here. My name is on the duty roster and I didn't want to bunk off."

Davis laughed, "You're picking up some Britishisms, Lance Corporal."

"It's all Papa Shaun's fault," Alex chuckled. "While we speak Japanese when dealing with everyone else, we use English at home and I have no choice but to pick up some slang."

"Rest assured, Lance Corporal, you are no shirker," Pegg assured. "We are always glad of someone willing and capable of a good scrap."

"And no doubt we will get one," Blake said as the convoy rolled to a stop. "Form up and be quick about it."

As commanded, the Marines lined up in the crisp late morning air. The temperature had risen slightly, but everyone's breath lay visible in the cold.

"Here is how it's going to work," Toda said in a low growl as he addressed Blake. "The JSDF will be in charge of manual labor, but we are going to need your Marines to clear each building before we go in."

Blake nodded. "White and Pegg will set up at either end of the convoy and deploy as marksmen. Davis, Edmonds, Schweiger and Sharpe are on roving patrol. Williamson, Nelson and Evans are with me on sweep and clear. Jensen, watch over Pegg."

"Be sure to clear the closets and under the beds," Alex offered. "Saw a movie once with Mila Jovovich where one of her guys got blindsided by a stiff in a closet."

"Excellent use of intel, Schweiger," Blake nodded. He turned to his fire team. "You heard the Lance Corporal; be sure to check cupboards, under beds and under sinks."

The JSDF formed up under Blake as he led his team into the first hotel. Blake took point, Nelson and Williamson flanked and Evans took drag. White climbed up on the Stryker and deployed the bi-pod on his M14. Pegg hustled to the drag Humvee and did the same. Alex watched them as they screwed suppressors to the muzzles. She dropped the mag on her pistol as she was taught, checked the load, replaced the mag and dropped the suppressed pistol into its holster.

"Alex, I want you and Sharpe to work as a pair," Davis ordered. "You've had good training together and now I want you use it. Don't bother calling targets unless you get surrounded or there are civvies around. Understood?"

"Aye, Corporal," Alex said. She and Sharpe paired off and patrolled to the end of the block. They both took a peek around corners then patrolled to the opposite end.

000

She never saw it coming. The pair had just rounded a corner when she felt a blow across her back. Next thing she knew, she was face down in the snow; the sounds of hand-to-hand combat ringing in her ears. Alex sat up and shook her head. She peered around to see Sharpe struggling with an unknown assailant.

"Yamette!" Alex shouted, her words reverberating in the cold, still air. She reached for her pistol, but found it had been removed from her holster. Similarly, her sword and parang.

"Be quiet," the voice hissed in her ear. Alex felt the cold steel of the suppressor press to her temple. "We don't need you making a ruckus and attracting Them to us."

"You realize there are Royal Marines and JSDF just around the corner," Alex said, playing for time. Her mind raced as she planned her escape from her own gun.

"Shut up," the voice seethed into her ear. "Once we get your friend over there, we are going to trade your safety for whatever they're getting."

"Shit, you're going to give up your lives for soap and wash rags?" Alex muttered. "The Sar Major will just shoot us all then send condolences to our families. We don't negotiate with terrorists or hostage takers."

"So young to talk so fast," the voice said. "You sound like you've given up on a hard won life."

Alex watched as the tide turned in favor of Sharpe. She smirked as she felt the pressure ease off her temple. In that instant, her body tensed and she sprung her counter-attack. Her elbow went up and back in a swift strike. Alex was rewarded with a solid connection to something soft. She spun around and lashed with a series of vicious kicks, leaving her erstwhile captor groaning and clutching his mid-section. She searched the body and recovered her pistol. Her sword and parang lay a short distance away.

Sharpe was able to overpower his opponent, but missed the finishing blow. His assailant was on his feet and running down the street. Sharpe snapped his fingers once and Alex responded by throwing her pistol to him. He sighted the barrel and sent two bullets into the snow just ahead of the fleeing figure.

"That's enough of that running shit!" Sharpe said as he leveled the pistol to center mass. He then switched to Japanese. "Turn around, hands over your head and walk towards me slowly."

Alex replaced her sword in its scabbard and was about to do so with her parang when she noticed two more figures approach. She signaled to Sharpe that she saw them and made her way forward at an oblique angle.

 _That's odd. They're moving way too sluggishly, even for zombies. The cold, maybe?_ Regardless of the potential threat, Alex continued her cautious approach, the grip on her parang tightening as she neared. She circled behind her targets and raised her parang. A slight misstep brought her foot into a deeper patch of snow.

 _Shit._ Alex moved to strike quickly as the nearest figure coughed once and turned slowly. Alex immediately withdrew her blade as the target's face registered the attack.

"Please, we're cold and hungry," the younger girl said. She was wrapped in rags and shivering horribly in the cold. "We only wanted food and clothing. Father is desperate; we didn't mean to attack you."

Alex lowered her parang, but kept it ready to strike. She eyed the taller figure. _Her mother, maybe, but she looks real sick._

"Walk toward the man in camouflage, slowly," Alex said as she pointed out Sharpe. "No sudden moves, he won't hesitate to kill you were you stand."

"Where are my husband and son?" the taller woman asked.

"They have been taken into custody," Alex said, gesturing to Sharpe. At that moment, Davis and Edmonds rounded the corner.

"Had a spot of bother?" Davis asked in English, his weapon at the ready. "When I noticed you missing, I thought such might be the case. Everything alright?"

"Aye Corporal," Sharpe said, rubbing his midsection. "This one gave me a bit of a go, but Alex helped me out. It would seem we shall have guests for supper."

The four newcomers were searched thoroughly for bites and weapons and came up clean on both. The women were lead into the Stryker, while the men were restrained with zip cuffs, lead into the back of a Humvee and given blankets. A JSDF trooper was spared over to keep an eye on them. The patrol team went back on their rounds.

"Hey." Alex called out to Sharpe. "Check this out." She peered into the thick glass of a shop. "I think this is…"

Sharpe watched Alex bounce excitedly as she jiggled the lock. "What have you got, Lance Corporal?"

"I can't be sure, but I think this is an airsoft shop," Alex said.

"Why would that be of interest to us?"

"Think about it, Private. There will be uniforms, safety glasses and load-outs. Plus, the guns would allow us to train noobs without expending live ammo."

Sharpe held his chin for a few seconds then made his way over to the front door. "I can see why no one has been able to break in," he said. "This is not regular glass, it's plexiglass; thick plate at that. Plus I see bars across the windows."

"Got a pry bar?"

000

"Other than the tussle Alex 'n' Sharpe got in, it's been very quiet, Corporow," Edmonds said, then quickly crossed himself to ward of further trouble.

"And let's pray it stays that way," Davis said as he noticed the sun's position in the western sky. "We should be wrapping things up before the sun goes down anyway."

On cue, Blake and his team escorted the JSDF out of the hotel they had been looting. "Right, let's get the rest of this loaded up and back to Onohira. Oh ho, what's this? Guests for tea, is it?"

"Sar Major," Davis snapped to attention. "Schweiger and Sharpe encountered them a short while ago. It would seem they intended to take our troopers hostage and them bargain them off for food and weapons."

Blake laughed aloud, "Oh, shit. I would have shot them all and then sent condolence letters to surviving family." The man in the Humvee's mouth fell open when he heard Blake say this.

"That's what Schweiger told her erstwhile captor," Davis said, chuckling. "Speak of the devil."

Alex tore around the corner and came to a skidding stop in front of Blake and Davis. "Got a pry bar?"

"What have you found?" Blake asked.

"Airsoft shop," Alex replied, panting slightly. "Uniforms, load-outs, practice weapons that don't use live ammo."

"Go with her, Davis," Blake said as he waved a JSDF trooper over. "The uniforms may or may not be worthwhile, but the load-outs could come in handy." He looked to the sky, "Never mind. Get it all, we'll sort it out at Onohira later."

"Aye, Sar Major," Davis said. He and the trooper followed Alex back around the corner.

Blake was watching one of the Japanese troopers total up what they had gotten from the hotel, when he realized Alex and the others had made about three trips to the trucks so far.

"Wait, wait, wait," he said as he stopped her before she headed back around the corner. "Just how much of this stuff is there?"

"I think you better come look," the girl said with a smirk.

He followed her and was stunned to find a convenience store sized building packed full.

"All this is for toy guns?" he exclaimed as he looked over the many racks of weapons and clothing.

"Aye, Sar Major," Alex said. "Airsoft originated in Japan and grew into a worldwide phenomenon. Japanese civilians cannot have real guns, but Airsoft is perfectly legal and they're crazy over it."

"Everyone hold up," the man said. Once the looting stopped he rubbed him chin in thought, "We don't remotely have the room to take all this back right now. Davis, you and Alex pick and choose among the guns and supplies to make them operate taking a sample to show the Captain and Toda-san Alex's idea for training. Once they agree to it we can come back and get the rest."

"Aye, Sar Major," Davis said.

It did not take long for the group to head back to the trucks with a cross-section of rifles, pistols and shotguns as well as ammo and safety gear to go with them.

As they left, Sharpe fiddled with the door and managed to secure it where they had forced their way in, in hopes the rest would be there when they returned.

Once the rest was loaded, they piled back into the trucks and headed back to the base.

000

On their return, and after bite checks, the mother and daughter were taken to the infirmary while the father and son were escorted to the base commander.

Alex and the others unloaded their loot and hauled it into the supply depot as Rei showed them where to put it.

Andrea, Edmonds and Sharpe were standing by the door watching the supply crew go through the big pile of clothing that had been brought back when Saya and Kohta walked in.

"Oi, where did all this come from?" the pink-haired girl asked.

"We raided an Airsoft shop," Alex told her. "There were all sorts of uniforms and gear to be had for the taking. This is nowhere near all of it. We only brought back a sampling to be approved for use."

"Oh, look at this, Saya!" Rei said as she held up a BDU tunic that was camouflage, but colored pink. "It's your favorite color!"

"Let 'me see that!" Saya said as she took the shirt from the girl. She rubbed the fabric and looked closely at the stitching before raising one eyebrow. "Huh! This is really good cloth and its put together very well."

"I would think so," Kohta said as he rubbed a corner of the tunic. "Airsoft and paintball players were as hard on clothing as a lot of troops were. Pink and other non-traditional colors were popular with girls that wanted to play but be fashionable too. It was big business."

"How much did you get?" Rei asked, as she held up a set of pants to her waist. "Would these fit Paddy, you think?"

"Enough right now to give every trooper here at least one more change in uniform, on top of what they already have," Alex said. She sized up the pants. "Paddy is a bit taller than me, but his hips are narrower, those should fit him."

"Is there more?" Kohta wondered. "It would be nice to have a different camo pattern."

Saya gently back-handed the otaku, but smiled warmly all the same, "You military otaku are all the same."

"We only cleared a few racks," Alex replied. "The supply room in back may have a whole lot more."

Rei fiddled with a large, woven square of cloth. The red stitched checkerboard pattern brought a smile to her face. "What is this, Alex-san? I saw you wear something similar around the compound this morning."

"That is a shemagh," Kohta said. "The populations of the Middle East use them for all sorts of things."

"We also brought in load-outs," Edmonds chipped in. "Good fo' all kind of goodies, yeah."

"Did you grab any plate carriers?" the drool on Kohta's mouth almost visible.

"Black, coyote or US ACU," Edmonds chuckled, pointing to another pile of assorted kit. "Take your pick."

Kohta squealed with undisguised glee as he dove for the equipment. Saya shook her head. "I really wish you wouldn't encourage him like that. He'll be insufferable for days now." She heaved a sigh and looked the Royal Marines in the eyes. "I don't suppose there were any boots? We need those as much as uniforms – more, even."

"We didn't see any on the shelves," Sharpe said. "Not to say there aren't any in the back."

"We got plans to go back," Edmonds added, waving a hand over the pile of clothing and equipment. "Once we showed this to the Cap'n, he told us we're gettin' the rest. He wants us to empty the store of ever'think not nailed down."

By this time, Rika had made her way into the supply hooch. "I really hope you grabbed more than battle-rattle and clothing."

Alex pointed to several industrial-sized laundry bags, each stamped with different hotel names. "Each one is full of soap, shampoo and other toiletries. Not a wasted trip, LT."

Satisfied, Rika turned to Saya. "You have a busy day tomorrow sorting this out. You need any extra bodies?"

"I may," Saya replied. "I will let you know in the morning."

Rika smiled and sauntered out.

"Schweiger, Sharpe, Captain wants to see you up in command about that group you brought in," Davis said as he walked in.

"Aye Corporal," Alex replied as she headed out the door with Sharpe behind her.

They climbed the stairs to command and entered to find the father and son, guarded by two troopers, standing before Tomasa sitting at a desk. The incoming pair stood to attention facing the Captain while Blake stood off to one side.

"Schweiger and Sharpe reporting as ordered, sir!"

"At ease," Tomasa said. "Tell me your version of what happened."

Alex went first followed by Sharpe. When they were through Tomasa looked at the men. "Is that an accurate description?" he asked.

"Yes sir," the father replied as the son nodded.

"Next question is how you two got jumped when you are supposed to be fully trained," the Captain said as his eyes narrowed at the pair.

"Ano..." was all Alex could say while rubbing the back of her neck.

"The young feller is pretty good at hand to hand, sir," Sharpe told Tomasa. "I only got the upper hand on him because I have battlefield experience."

The father spoke up, "Captain, in their defense I am a trained Aikido teacher and my son is my best pupil. I was able to surprise and stun the young lady and disarm her while my son dealt with the soldier."

"Aikido," Tomasa murmured as he looked at Blake. "Could you teach it to my troopers?"

"Yes sir, I was the instructor at one of the local high schools before the fall."

"Very well," the Captain said as he sat up straighter. "Kimura Jiro, for the assault on Allied service members, I sentence you and your son to six months of teaching Aikido to the soldiers under my command. Do you accept this sentence?"

"If I may ask first, sir, what about my wife and daughter? Will they be sent away or can they stay here?'

"I don't see a problem with that as long as Doctor Marikawa says they are fit enough," Tomasa replied. As he spoke Shizuka walked in the door, "Ah Doctor, what is your report on the two ladies?"

"Both are malnourished and have colds. The mother is fast developing pneumonia and I think she may have to be sent out to the _Mercy_ to recover. The daughter I can treat here."

Jiro spoke up with a worried look on his face, "My wife has always been fast to catch a cold. Please do what you can to help her, doctor." Turning back to the Captain he gave his answer, "I fully accept your sentence, Captain. I hope my son and I can be of assistance to you and your troops."

Tomasa nodded, "Good! I will put you under our sword mistress, Busujima Saeko. She runs our dojo and you will have to go through her to set up training and times. You will report to her."

"Thank you, sir," the two replied as they bowed low.

"Oh, Schweiger? You will be the first student to sign up for training with Kimura-sensei. Do we understand each other?" Tomasa said with a smirk.

"Ah, Aye aye, sir!"

"Good, escort Kimura-san and his son to see the ladies and then take him to Busujima-san," the Captain ordered.

000

After a quick trip to the clinic, Alex led the pair to the dojo. Inside they found Saeko watching over half a dozen troopers practicing sword forms. Bowing to the shrine and then kneeling down next to Saeko, Alex introduced the men.

"Aikido," Saeko said after hearing of the plan. "That would work I believe. Kimura-sensei currently you may use the dojo on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday during the day. We will have to find practice mats and a way to store them, but that should not be too much of a problem."

"If I may ask, Busujima-sensei, how far along are you with sword training?" the older man asked.

"Everyone in the garrison now has a working knowledge of the blade, but we are woefully short on swords. We have several hundred steel blanks to be worked into weapons, but have yet to find anyone that can do so."

"Er, also Busujima-senpai I am to be Kimura-sensei first student. Captain's orders," Alex said.

"Yes I heard you were taken down rather quickly," Saeko replied while looking down at the other girl.

"Oh…so…you heard about that…"

"Your sword was taken from you. That is not something I can overlook, Schweiger-san. We will be training _even harder_ from this point on." Saeko said. "One thousand days to forge the steel, ten thousand to polish it."

"Hai Sensei!" Alex said as she bowed down low.

"I'm sorry, I feel like I am the one that caused this," Kimura said. "I simply caught this young lady with a stunning blow and took her things."

"The fact she was caught unawares and stunned _is_ the issue here," Saeko said. "She has been trained by the British Marines as well as my father. She should not be getting surprised like that. This is a matter of life and death after all. If it had been your intention to kill, she would be dead now."

"Ah…well I suppose that is true," Kimura said.

In the distance they could hear the beat of helicopter rotor blades coming closer.

"I believe that is a guest I am expecting," Saeko said. "Schweiger-san please go to the airfield and accompany them back here."

"Hai Sensei," the girl said as she bowed and exited the dojo. She jogged across the compound and was waiting with Paddy as the Blackhawk settled to the ground in a storm of snow. She was surprised when the door slid open to revel Busujima Kage and his aid Sergeant Kurita. The men stepped down and headed over to her as Paddy helped two other passengers unload boxes of equipment as a third man looked on.

"Konnichiwa Sensei, Sergeant," she said as she bowed low to the men.

"Konnichiwa, Schweiger-san," Kage replied as Kurita bowed also. "I supposed my daughter sent you to gather us?"

"Hai Sensei, she is currently interviewing the new Aikido instructor in the dojo. If you would follow me I will lead you there."

Kage turned to his aid, "Kurita-san, go and check in with the camp commander and escort our companions to pay their respects as well. Afterwards, bring them to the dojo."

"Hai Commander," the younger man replied.

Alex looked around the pair to see three men, one much older, climbing down from the chopper. They were all dressed in white tunics and pants almost like karate gi's and wore round pillbox caps on their heads.

"How was the ocean trip, Schweiger-san," Kage asked as they walked toward the house compound.

"Very nice, relaxing even," the girl replied. "We got here a lot faster than I thought we would to be honest."

He nodded without replying as they arrived. After entering and bowing to the shrine the pair knelt down by Saeko as everyone else in the dojo knelt down and bowed to Kage.

After Saeko introduced Kimura and the others, the group settled to watch the students and talk.

"I see you have gotten the dojo enclosed," Kage said as he looked around.

"Hai Father, we decided on shoji with wooden shudders that can be hung outside in case a strong storm blows up and they can all be removed during the hot times of the summer," Saeko told him. "It has worked well so far in keeping the room warm and letting the light inside. The early winter was predicted by Saya-san, so we prepared in advance."

Kage nodded, "I am told it is caused by the nuclear weapons that were set off in the final days. I am not surprised your 'genius' thought of it in advance though."

Saeko smiled at the praise for her friend. She paused as the door opened again to allow Sergeant Kurita and the three men dressed in white inside. The sergeant and two younger men went over and bowed before the shrine before settling down near the others.

The older man stood and looked around the dojo before removing his shoes and walking to the shrine. Instead of bowing though, he stared at it for a minute and then reached out and took the wakizashi from its stand.

Alex's eyes widened as she heard Saeko's sudden intake of breath and saw the girl stiffen at this breach of etiquette.

The man held the sword up to his face and opened it half way. Leaning closer he sniffed the blade before closing it. Looking at the group he frowned, "This blade was used to cut flesh. Someone made a crude attempt at cleaning it. Who did that?"

Saeko reddened as she bowed slightly as this rude little man stared at her, "I am the one responsible for the cleaning of the blade. It and its brothers were the property of Suishinshi Tonda, the patron of this dojo."

The man nodded and walked over to sit down with them. Two things Alex noticed at once were, he sat down cross-legged and then placed the sword on his left side, which meant he did not trust where he was to be safe. Placing the sword on his right said would have meant he was comfortable and did not fear attack.

"Allow me to introduce Kanemitsu Kochi. He will be your new sword smith, daughter," Kage told them.

The old man nodded and finally smiled slightly, "I knew Suishinshi-san well, young one. I forged these blades for his use."

"Ah," Saeko said under her breath as she leaned forward to bow low before the master smith. "Please excuse me, Grand Master; I place myself in your hands to relearn proper cleaning procedures."

Kochi clicked his tongue several times as he waved his hand in front of him. "No, no," he said. "I was not berating the job you did. I'm sure your limitations were in the tools you had to use. I know your father knows about the proper cleaning and care. On the other hand…" He snapped his fingers and held out his hand to Alex.

The girl stared at him for a moment before she untied her sword and held it out to him in its sheath with the hilt on the man's right.

He smiled and nodded; pleased she turned the weapon over to him properly. He drew the sword and lay the spine on the back of his hand so he could look down the sharp edge. As before, he sniffed the blade and then checked where it met the habaki*. "Makuri style blade, soft in the middle, but a hard outer casing, not bad for a manufactured piece. Tonda always did make a quality product for what it is. You have slain many Oni with this have you not?"

"Hai, it has served me well, Grand Master," Alex replied, lowering her head as she responded.

"You should also serve it well. My apprentice will sharpen it properly and show you how to keep it that way."

"Hai, Grand Master," Alex said as she lowered her head again.

Kochi nodded and turned his attention back to Saeko, "Busujima-san, I understand you have several hundred blanks for us to work up? I would like to see those and then I will go looking for a place to put my forge."

The girl nodded and dispatched one of the training troopers to escort the men. After they left she looked to her father, "I see we have acquired an interesting smith, Father."

Kage chuckled, "Yes daughter, he is quite the character, but I feel we are very lucky to have him."

They all nodded.

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow.

*habaki – is the brass or copper looking wedge shaped metal collar used to keep the sword from falling out of the saya (scabbard) and to support the fittings below. Please read more on Wikipedia: Japanese sword mountings.

EN: 1st posted 6/14/15


	6. Chapter 6

I must admit I'm a bit disappointed at the response to this story after so many kept begging for it . Show a little love and review!

We do not own Highschool of the DEAD or its characters.

* * *

Chapter 6

 _Zday+199_

Toda paced up and down the short line of volunteers. They had armed themselves with single-shot spring-cocked airsoft pistols. The targets lay a short distance away, the outline of a human head clearly visible. "Now then," he spoke calmly. "Lift your pistols to eye level, keep your arms just loose to absorb recoil...good. Now, place the silhouette of your target in line with the notch and post on your pistols…good. Now squeeze – do not jerk or pull – the trigger."

The muffled pops of springs ramming home filled the air. Toda watched as the line emptied their magazines. He nodded to Tatsumi. "Pistols to safe," Tatsumi called out. He waited for everyone to safe their guns before he checked out the targets. "It seems most of you have it down finally. Very good; reload and continue. Ten rounds each."

Rika and Tomasa stood off some distance and watched the proceedings. "Remind me to congratulate Alex again," Tomasa said. "Using air guns instead of real firearms for training was positively brilliant."

"I admit I was worried how we would train everyone with our limited supplies," Rika said. "All the same, it's going to be a big surprise when these troopers get out in the field with live ammo and it bucks out of their hands."

"I don't think so, LT," Tomasa gestured to Toda. "See how he is training them to hold their guns? That should carry over when they get live steel. I want everyone not gun qualified out on this range before they go over the hump again. Once we feel they have the basics down, we can train them on live fire."

"Yes, sir," Rika said. "Now, if I have the captain's permission, I need some down time. Been at it since before daybreak."

Tomasa smirked as he tracked Rika's sightline. She had been following Shizuka around camp with her eyes on the sly for about ten minutes. "Try not to make too much noise…or too big a mess," Tomasa said with a snort.

Rika blushed deeply then snapped to attention and saluted. Tomasa sent her off with a laugh, as Blake approached and cleared his throat. Tomasa returned Blake's salute, "What can I do for you, Sergeant Major?"

"Once this lot gets done with stationary targets, I want them to practice on moving targets."

"How?"

"Lance Corporal Schweiger and Private Sharpe managed to abscond with a few full face masks," Blake explained. "Our practice dummies will wear them and stumble about like zeds. This will train our pupils how to lead targets and remain calm when confronted by a walker."

"Where do you intend to do this? We are getting short of room inside the compound with all the new construction and refugees."

"I thought we would get into the inner most ring, sah. That puts us out of the way, but still keeps us secure from threats. Later on when the refugees move south, we can practice doing building clearing in their barracks."

"Good thinking," Tomasa clapped a hand on Blake's shoulder. "And that brings me to another thought. Was it your idea to raid the airsoft shop?"

"I cannot take any credit for that, sah," Blake said. "Lance Corporal Schweiger came up with the idea. I admit I was skeptical at first, but she persuaded me. Sharp girl Alex, I can see why she was able to convince Captain McElroy – God rest him – to take her and Misa into Osaka."

"We need fast thinkers like her," Tomasa said. "I hate to break up your set, Sergeant Major, but I would like to requisition Alex to stay and help out up here for good. I know we have hinted around at it, but this time I'm making the request official."

Blake mused for a moment. "I would not have a problem, sah, but I expect you would have to get permission from her guardians."

"I don't understand," Tomasa said confused. "I thought Alex was under your command."

"Yes and no," Blake said, but quickly held up his hand to forestall confusion. "While she does operate under my authority, she is not officially a Royal Marine. She is honorary because of her actions and training."

Tomasa mused the information he was given, "She is Sergeant Phillips' foster daughter, right?"

"Yes, sah," Blake said. "However, even he does not have the final say. It's _Mrs_. Phillips you will need to convince. And you will have to take her friend, Miss Kinoshita. They come as a pair and one won't leave the other."

Tomasa smirked at the wink Blake gave him, "Understood, Sergeant Major. The comm sat should be in range soon. I'll put in a request to the Palace to speak with Mrs. Phillips tomorrow."

"Very good, sah. Now if you will excuse me, I need to see about our departure preparations for tomorrow afternoon."

Tomasa nodded and sent Blake on his way. He whistled low at a passing trooper and waved him over. "Where is the American, Alex Schweiger?"

"I think she is in the dojo with Busujima-sensei and his daughter, sir."

"Thank you. Dismissed."

000

Alex landed on her back as Kage straightened his stance. "Your form is improving, but I am confused as to your fighting style," the man said.

Alex did a quick kip-up and bowed to Kage, "It's a mix of aikido, eskrima and commando fighting, sensei. The purpose is to keep me from falling off guard. That's already happened once and I don't want it to happen again."

"Rather like the Chinese martial artist, Bruce Lee, father," Saeko said. "The founder of Jeet Kun do."

Kage rubbed his chin, "I have heard of it, but never seen it in action. Was it effective, Schweiger-chan?"

"I have seen a few of his movies, Sensei, but I can't say how it would work in the real world."

"I understand the principle of this idea," Kage said. "Now I am curious. Schweiger-chan. Defend yourself in any manner you see fit. This is now open combat."

"Father…" Saeko started. "Are we certain of this course?"

"Nonsense, daughter, I want to see what my pupil is now capable of." Kage turned to Alex, "Attack me, Schweiger-chan."

Alex cocked an eyebrow, "Sensei, I mean no disrespect, but…"

"The only disrespect in this dojo is not honoring the master within it," Kage's voice turned cold, sending a shiver up Alex's spine.

Alex bowed and excused herself to her bag. She spent a few minutes with her back turned before withdrawing several wooden weapons, settling on a short, dagger-length practice blade. This she tucked into the back of her pants. She returned to the center and bowed low. Kage held his bokken in ready stance, uncertain of what Alex would do. She smirked and waved at him casually. "Come and get me," she said in casual English.

Kage obliged and did a quick two step forward. He heard something spill on the floor, but paid no attention until he felt something round and hard under his feet. This, in turn, caused him to lose his balance. Alex timed her attack, dropping into a low silat stance and sweeping Kage's feet from under him. Her practice blade was at his throat, pressing gently on his larynx.

"Father!" Saeko was on her feet, bokken in hand. She brought it down over her head and Alex barely had time to roll out of the way as Saeko's bokken crashed into the flooring.

"Holy shit!" Alex panted.

Kage laughed, "I did say open rules. No prohibition against 'tag team'."

Alex laughed a bit herself, then flung her dagger at Saeko. This was easily evaded by the swordswoman as she charged Alex.

"You are unarmed, kouhai!"

Saeko took a moment to let the confusion settle before she realized her bokken had been blocked by a length of pipe with a handle attached at perpendicular angle like a jutte. "Where did that come from?"

Alex smirked. "When I had my back turned, I slipped it into my gi." She twisted her arm slightly, causing the bokken, now caught in the crook, to pop out of Saeko's hand.

Kage stood and clapped his hands twice, "I think that is enough for one day."

Saeko stood and offered Alex a hand up. Alex accepted the gesture and stood beside her senpai.

"Still more force than finesse," Kage sighed. "But your use of trickery and fast thinking saved you from three likely kill strikes. You are to be commended, Schweiger-chan."

"Father, I must beg your forgiveness," Saeko had bowed parallel to the floor. "I foolishly rushed in and…"

"Nonsense, Saeko-chan," Kage chuckled. "You did as any loving child would do when her parent was in danger. I will confess I was caught completely by surprise." He gently lifted Saeko upright. "Your kouhai had me dead to rights. Her blade would have severed my throat had you not intervened. For that, I am grateful to you."

The group heard applause coming from the main entrance. They turned to see Don Takagi, his wife Yuriko and Misa entering the dojo. Yuriko held baby Megumi as Misa hovered close by. "Sensei, forgive the intrusion, but I come to inform you that supper is being served in the main house."

Kage glanced out the door, "It is already dark. Where does the time go? Saeko-chan, take Alex-san and Kinoshita-san ahead to the house and reserve me a place in line for the bath. I feel I shall need a good soak after Alex here got through with me."

"As you wish, Father," Saeko said, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "Come, Alex-san. Supper awaits."

"Lemme grab my kit and I'm right behind you, Senpai."

Yuriko sighed as she handed the baby over to Misa, "I wish I could hold onto you forever, precious little girl."

"Actually…" Alex said as she neared. "May I impose upon your hospitality for one night to look after Megumi?" Alex gazed lovingly at Misa. Misa blushed deeply and averted her gaze.

Yuriko cocked her head, but then smiled broadly, "I think I understand, Alex-chan. It's no imposition at all, is it, Souichiro-san?"

Souichiro attempted to look stern, but let his gaze soften, "Of course not, my dearest. As you say, it's good practice for when Saya and her man _eventually_ have our grandchild."

Kage laughed as Saeko chuckled softly. Kage turned to her, "No ideas, daughter. I like your man, but I'm not ready to completely let you go _just_ yet. Plus I insist that Souichiro-san must become a grandfather first!"

Saeko nodded gracefully. "Of course, dear father," she said as the others laughed.

000

Small bowls of steamed rice served with fish and vegetables awaited them as they entered the main room. Saeko's eyes glittered as she sat next to Takashi. He leaned in and gave Saeko a quick peck on the cheek.

"We have a feast tonight, I see," she said. She clapped her hands twice and gracefully lifted her bowl.

"Compliments of Minister Takagi and Lord Busujima," Rei said. Paddy sat next to her, having minor difficulties with his chopsticks. "I certainly hope for a few more of these before too long."

"The settlers in Okinawa are working as best they can," Captain Tsugumo announced. "As spread out as the chain is, it's difficult to keep land under cultivation and the people safe."

"But I thought the islands were secured," Saya asked, an eyebrow climbing her forehead. "I was under the understanding the US Marines had everything under control."

"It's taking time," Alex replied. "The main island was completely subdued only last month. The neighboring island, Ikei, had an infestation while we were living there and nearly wiped us out. The rice crops almost went to rot, but the Army and Marines secured the paddies before the final evac."

"That's terrible," Saya said. "Not even remote islands are safe."

"We think it was a floater," Alex sighed.

"A what?" Saeko asked.

"A floater is a body that washes up on a beach," Kohta volunteered. "Likely one of Them from Okinawa or even Japan. Like that ship the patrol boat sank when the _Kaiwo Maru_ came in to dock."

"Ah, I remember. We also saw that bunch when we found that tank on the bridge that time. Then we called them 'drifters'," Saya said. "That would make the most sense as I expect everyone was checked before they even left for Okinawa."

"For all we know, it came all the way from China," Misa muttered. "We'll probably never know, but all we really care is that we can keep Them off our beaches in the future so we can carry on in peace."

"Amen, sister," Paddy said through a mouthful of rice. Everyone laughed softly.

Tomasa and Rika joined the circle a short time later. They ate silently for a few minutes before Tomasa cleared his throat, "Alex-san. Misa-san. I want to ask you how you would feel if you came to live at Onohira for a while."

Alex's eyebrows shot up as Misa stopped eating mid-chew.

"We realize it's very short notice and we apologize," Rika said. "But we feel it would be beneficial for all parties if you could help out around here."

"We appreciate the offer…" Alex let her thought trail off.

"What Ah-chan is trying to say is," Misa continued. "While we appreciate the offer, we are unprepared for a long stay. We didn't bring any of our household stuff beyond what was needed for a few weeks or so of travel time."

"Not to worry," Tomasa said. "We can provide most of what you need and arrange to ship the rest of your personal effects when Captain Tsugumo returns from Okinawa next month. I already spoke to Sergeant Phillips and made arrangements to speak with your guardian, Asuka-san, tomorrow morning."

"This is a big move we'll be making, Captain," Misa said. "Can we sleep on it tonight and give you our answer tomorrow when you talk to Asuka-onee-san?"

"I don't see a problem with that," Tomasa nodded. "Really you were going to be here for a while anyway, we are just making the posting permanent."

"It would be good for you to be with your contemporaries, Schweiger-san," Saeko added. "I can't imagine there are many people our age on Okinawa."

"Not so many, no," Alex conceded. "Most are either in the military or are taking care of their families. Papa Shaun takes care of Asuka-nee-chan and they have a baby on the way…"

"Does this mean you will consent to stay?" Saeko pressed gently, a sly grin spreading slowly. "I would relish the chance at a re-match from this afternoon."

Alex glanced at Misa who only shrugged her shoulders. "Only thing I see holding us up is either the Sergeant Major or Asuka-nee-chan."

"Sergeant Major Blake has already consented to have you stay with us," Tomasa said. "It all rests with you and your guardians."

"Mi-chan?"

"I can't see that this would be a bad move, Ah-chan. Plus it would give Shaun and Asuka-onee-san more time to bond without us in their way."

Alex turned to Tomasa, "I think we can agree to remain here, but we still request tonight to discuss in private."

"I understand completely and I thank you for even considering it," the captain said.

"Most people would want nothing to do with a dangerous assignment like this," Rika chimed in.

"My father was a soldier in the US Army, served in Iraq and died in Afghanistan," Alex said. "My grandfather served in the West German Bundeswehr and my grandmother survived the Soviet Union. Serving during times of conflict is in my blood."

"And I trust Alex to do what needs to be done to keep us all safe," Misa added.

"May we accept that as your answer, Schweiger-san?" Saeko asked.

"I guess you could," Alex said. She gripped Misa's hand comfortingly. "Do you have any problems, Mi-chan?"

"I only ask I be given some time during each day to continue my schooling," Misa said. "Medical pharmacology is not an easy subject."

"We could ask Shizuka-sensei to help with that," Rei volunteered. "She recently got her doctor's certificate from the hospital ship off-shore. I am sure they would be willing to help also. We always need medical people here."

"Well, then, Captain," Alex turned to Tomasa and Rika and bowed slightly. "I guess you have your answer. Honorary Lance Corporal Alexis Yukari Schweiger reporting for duty, sir."

"Glad to have you, Lance Corporal," Tomasa said. "I will, of course, run it past your onee-san in the morning."

000

 _Zday+200_

It was still before dawn and the snow had piled up several more inches during the night. Blake shivered as he stepped onto the porch of the mess hall. Entering, he waved at Cookie and then got a cup of coffee from the never-ending pot. Glancing around, he walked over to where Toda and Master Kochi were sitting.

He smirked as he noticed that even though he was in a western style chair, the old sword smith was still sitting cross-legged. "Mind if I join you gentlemen?" he asked.

"Please help yourself," Toda replied as Kochi nodded. A moment later Cookie joined them also.

The ex-navy man turned his chair around and straddled it backwards as he set his cup on the table. "Are you ready to pack out, Sergeant Major?" he asked.

"Plans have changed," Blake said as he sipped from his cup. "Since Commander Busujima arrived, we will stay a few more days and he will go with us when we leave. So instead, we will be going over the hump today and raiding to the west of here in Higashihongo."

Kochi leaned forward and looked at Blake's cup with one eyebrow raised.

"Problem, Kochi-san?" the Englishman asked.

"I was just wondering why coffee, Sergeant Major. You English _are_ dedicated to tea after all."

Blake smiled, "Coffee to wake up, tea to relax is my motto."

"Ah I see," the smith said. "I guess mine would have to be tea for all things until there is sake."

"SAKE!" the three Japanese men said as they raised their cups in a toast while Blake chuckled.

"Many's the time I would have said that about Scotch!" he told them.

They all chuckled before turning their attention towards the door where Alex had just stumbled in. The bleary-eyed girl looked around for a moment before stumbling towards the coffee pot. They watched as she downed two cups before filling a third.

"Here now," Blake said, he voice loud enough to carry across the room. "Make sure you go potty before we load up and get on the road! I'm not stopping to change your nappies along the way!"

Alex froze and stared back at him wide-mouthed. "That's just mean!" she said as she headed back to the door.

Blake grinned as the other three men cackled with laughter.

"Long night, Schweiger-san?" Cookie called over.

Alex stopped, slugged the coffee down her throat and turned to face three men. "It was," she replied, a faint blush tinting her cheeks. "I asked Yuriko oba-san if she could mind Megumi, thinking it would give Mi-chan and I a good night's sleep without the baby waking us up every few hours."

The four men nodded in unison.

Alex sucked air through a corner of her mouth. "Kohta-kun and Saya-san decided it would be a great time to get frisky instead. Then Komuro-san and Busujima-sempai get going on the other side of us and next thing I know, Mi-chan decides she wants _special_ time too." Alex smiled into the distance at the memory. "Damn, that girl got moves."

The men just looked at her for a minute, stunned.

"Ahem!" Blake cleared his throat. "Right! Well, then. Just make sure we don't have to stop anywhere. You can plank out in the truck on the way in."

000

An hour later Blake walked along the line of troops waiting to board the trucks. He smirked as he passed Alex who frowned and turned red.

"He seems in a good mood this morning," Davis muttered.

"Wonder why?" Edmonds replied as the orders were given to board the trucks.

Alex was surprised when Takashi climbed on at the last minute. "Senpai let you out to play with us today, Komuro?" she asked with a grin as the others laughed.

Takashi just smiled and sat on the floor, "I've been down into the area before so the LT sent me along as a guide."

They quieted down as they crossed the southern drawbridges and moved into enemy territory. The southern route out of Onohira twisted and turned until it led to the Inouzawa River, which went south towards the safe zone or northwest into the city. They crossed the Hwy 135 bridge and turned north into one of the bigger shopping districts.

The trucks rolled to a stop and everyone unloaded quickly and quietly. The targets for the day were clothing, bedding and shoes. Heavy coats were also needed for refugees as more were found and brought in.

Davis, Edmonds, Andrea, Sharpe, Alex and Takashi were set on over-watch guard to the north, while other troopers did the scrounging. The squad worked their way up the street and took up positions to intercept any undead coming their way. Communication was via hand signals or muffled mummers into the tac-coms all wore.

The over-watch split into three groups of two. Davis took Sharpe to the west side of the street while Takashi and Alex covered the opposite. Edmonds and Andrea worked between them. Takashi squatted a couple of times as he swung his baseball bat around to limber up his shoulders. Andrea twirled her twin iron pipes in hand while Alex kept her left hand on the hilt of her sword.

Several groups of undead were attracted by the engines, so everyone concentrated on eliminating them first. A few minutes later the street was clear and the scroungers were hard at work.

They had been at it about three hours and the squad worked their way about three hundred meters north of the trucks. They were looking in store windows and making notes for later raids. Alex and Takashi were the farthest north when they heard a scream.

Looking back they saw a Japanese trooper falling to the ground as a horde of undead children swarmed out of an alleyway.

Davis waved for them to return, but before they could start to run that way, a work scaffolding covering another alley fell to the street almost on top of the squad. Davis and Sharpe dove and rolled out of the way as Edmonds snatched Andrea back to keep the heavy metal frame from hitting her. This accomplished two things.

The pile of metal separated Alex and Takashi from the rest of the group _and_ locked them in with another horde of zeds coming from the alley.

Their radios crackled to life and they heard Davis say, _"We can't shoot without danger of hitting you! Get somewhere and go to ground for now!"_

The pair clicked their throat mikes and ran northward about a block before slowing to check doors along the street. After the fifth or sixth one, Takashi found a steel door in the side of a building that was unlocked. Opening it he peeked inside, but could see nothing in the darkness.

"Here," Alex whispered as she held out a flashlight to him. "Make sure we're alone."

Takashi smirked and gently tapped his bat on the concrete floor. The resultant chime rang off uninsulated walls, but was otherwise unanswered.

Nodding, he took the flashlight and eased in. Panning the beam back and forth he could tell it was some kind of machine repair shop. He could now see two roll-up garage doors he didn't notice when he first entered. Checking those first, he made sure they were secure before venturing further in with Alex at his back.

After a few minutes of searching and finding nothing they began to relax. Takashi reached for his throat mike and keyed it.

"Komuro to Davis, over."

" _crackle…are…safe location… crackle…"_

"Maybe the building is interfering," Alex suggested.

Takashi nodded and stepped back to the doorway. Glancing outside he didn't see any undead close by so he stepped out and called again. "Komuro to Davis, repeat your last transmission, over."

" _Are you…safe location, over?"_

"Yes, about three blocks north of the trucks, but your signal is very weak, over."

" _crackle…are having…withdraw… crackle…back…soon as…can…stay safe,…out."_

"Roger, Komuro over and out," the boy said as he went back into the shop. "Signal died out. Davis said they had to pull out so they may have been getting too far away. He also said they would be back as soon as they could. Switch your radio off to conserve the battery. I'll leave mine on and when it dies we will turn your's back on."

"Well guess this place is as good as any," the girl said as she did what he asked.

Takashi panned the light around and stopped looking at the back wall of the building. "What's this?" he asked as he walked forward.

The light was focused on what looked like an oil drum that had been cut lengthwise, and was resting on short metal legs. Inside was a metal grate and burnt pieces of wood. Looking up they could see a chimney cone attached to a pipe that went up through the roof.

"Some type of homemade fireplace," Alex said. "Looks like wood stacked over in the corner," she said as she pointed.

Takashi reached into the pocket of his combat vest and pulled out a pack of waterproof matches. He grinned, "One of the first things Rika made us do is start carrying things like this around with us."

Alex chuckled, "Well, well! What else ya' got in your pocket there, Takashi-kun!?"

Though Alex could not see it in the dark, the boy blushed for a moment before speaking up. "Umm…let's get a fire started and then take stock."

In a few minutes they had a small blaze going. Once it was lit they could see around them better.

"Not a lot of wood," Takashi said. "We'll just have to be conservative and only throw a piece on when we need to."

Next to the fire was a bench seat that looked like it had come out of a truck with an old wool blanket hanging on the back. It wasn't much but it was softer than the concrete floor.

The pair sat on the bench and took stock. Lying in front of them was four protein bars, an MRE, a can of peaches, a bag of candy bits and two canteens of water.

"Why peaches?" Takashi asked.

"My dad," Alex said. "He told me he always kept a can of peaches in heavy syrup in his pack. He claimed the sugary syrup would give you an energy boost and the peaches were better for you than candy. Why all the protein bars?"

"Easy to carry and I can go a half a day on one," Takashi replied. "The candy bits have been in my pocket since before we came to the base I think."

"Well I think I saw a convenience store a little further up the road if we need to find something. This should do if we are just going to be here overnight," the girl said.

"What's in the MRE?" he asked.

"Let's see…menu no. 10, chili and macaroni. Eh, not too bad an entrée. What else we got in here?" She slipped her pocketknife along the top edge. "Wheat snack bread, molasses cookie, cheese spread, tootsie rolls, cocoa beverage powder and of course, a packet of instant coffee."

"Must be American," Takashi said, sticking his tongue out.

"Are the Japanese ones different?" Alex asked.

"Depends on what you get," the boy told her. "Type I is cans with rice and veggies with fish or beef. Type II is more like this one with packets of rice, veggies, chicken, beef, pork etc…not a lot of extras."

"Eat now or wait?" she asked.

"You go ahead and take the MRE, the chili does things to me so I'll settle with my protein bars."

"Ah, yeah we don't want you laying any bombs now do we?" she said with a snicker. She set the chili aside and opened the bread and cheese spread. "Wanna bite?"

"No you don't," Takashi said with a laugh as he waved off Alex's offer. "Saeko almost made me sleep out on the porch one night after Cookie made chili dogs for supper and I don't even want to think what happened with poor Saya and Kohta."

Alex laughed, "Oh god! I can just see her blowing up on him after he made a Dutch oven*!" She quieted down, "Seriously though, I never thought of those two ending up together. Kohta was always so meek and she was so tsun-tsun it hurt."

"Well after this started he admitted he always had a thing for her and when she picked him to drag along, it just went from there. He got wounded and we thought he might die, that's when she confessed how she had come to feel about him."

"Speaking of relationships, how did you end up with Saeko-senpai?" Alex asked. "We found Igou's body up on the Astronomy club tower the morning after the outbreak started. Misa said then he was Rei-san's boyfriend and told me you and she used to be an item."

"Long story really," Takashi sighed. "I don't want to bore you."

"I'm not going anywhere," Alex chuckled.

Takashi shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, Rei and I had been together since elementary school, but she broke it off with me right before the outbreak and started dating Hisashi. He got bitten while we were trying to escape and I killed him up on the tower. The third night of the fall Saeko and I got separated from the rest and spent the night together hiding in a shrine. That kind of laid the foundation for later. Rei wanted to get back together, but it just never seemed to fit right. Now don't get me wrong, I care a lot about Rei even to this day. I am very happy she found someone in Paddy. Saeko and I had been dancing around the subject and then one night after a lot of other drama it just happened. We have not been apart since. In fact tonight will be the first night we have spent apart since we became a couple." He looked thoughtful for a moment and then turned to her. "So, you and Misa-san, were you together before this happened or what?"

"Well, since you showed me yours..."

Takashi choked back a laugh.

Alex shook her head, "No, she was my chem lab partner and we ran into each other in the halls while I was trying to get to my locker and my bokken. I always found her distant and standoffish. I always just assumed she had a chip on her shoulder or something."

"A what?"

Alex scratched her head for the nearest Japanese equivalent. "Something to prove to others," she said.

Takashi nodded in understanding.

"At the time, I brought her with me only because she seemed useful; someone who could keep an extra eye out. She was definitely smarter - more savvy - than the others and didn't lose her head when things went downhill."

"So what lead you to become a couple, if I may ask?"

"We were sharing a room in a small house on Ikei when she woke up one morning and planted a big wet one right on my lips." Alex blushed deeply at the memory. "After that, I kinda took responsibility for her. I do care for her and I am pretty sure I love her."

"Pretty sure?" Takashi asked. "That doesn't sound very certain."

Alex stared into the gloom at the other end of the bay. The snow gently drifted in round the roll-up doors. "I never really gave it much thought, actually. I mean, I really care for her and I would give my life to make sure she is safe, but love..."

Takashi chuckled, "What you just said about keeping someone safe and sacrificing yourself. That _is_ love, Alex."

"At the same time, I..." Alex let her though fade.

Takashi remained silent, waiting. When nothing further seemed forthcoming, he gently cleared his throat.

She sighed, "We just always stuck together since the Outbreak. One thing led to another. Now we have a daughter to raise together. Umm…so…does it bother anybody? That two girls are a couple I mean."

The boy shook his head, "No, no one I know really cares, or if they do, they have never said anything. Rika and Shizuka are kind of the same way. Rika has an Apache pilot that shows up when he can to visit. Shizuka and the Captain have been known to keep each other warm at night once in a while, but any other time they are together, if you know what I mean. Has it been a problem in the past?"

"Yeah," the girl said as she leaned back with her hands behind her head. "There were problems on Ikei, but that got settled with three people being banished on an infected island." She heaved a deep sigh, "I might tell you about it someday, but now that I'm thinking about it, except for a few days the _Kaiwo_ was running around the East China Sea, Misa and I have never been apart either. I hope she will do alright, her emotions are kind of fragile after all we've been through."

Takashi wondered what kind of horrors their friends had seen for Alex to act uncomfortable that way. "Well unless we _scavenge_ a car or bike, it's too far back to the base to hike in this weather. If we _are_ going to do that I would rather wait till tomorrow anyway."

"Scavenge a car, eh?" Alex said as she glanced at him sideways. "You have an interesting way of putting that. Misa and I had a conversation about borrowing, thieving and scavenging when we escaped the school. I jacked a car from the teacher's parking lot and it got us to the British Embassy."

"Yes we know," the boy said with a smirk. "It was a little yellow Toyota owned by a certain big boobed nurse."

"Say what! We stole Shizuka's car!? Does she know!?"

He laughed, "No, she's blind even when it's waved right in front of her face sometimes. Davis and the guys know as well as the rest of us. Edmonds was describing the day you showed up at the Embassy and the subject of the car came up. Come to think of it, I don't think Sergeant Phillips ever figured it out either!"

Alex shook her head, "You know we had this conversation back on Tokashiki a few weeks ago. We were talking about how funny it is we are all linked in some way. We ought to write that down someday, but what would we call it?"

"How about _Living with the Dead_?" he said.

"Maybe, what about _A Simple kind of Dead_ or oh I know! _On Her Majesty's Deadly Service_! That sounds nice and James Bond-ish!"

Takashi laughed, "Well that would be good for the British Marines part in this story, but who would ever read that?"

"Eh, I guess you're right. It's not like there is an Internet and Fan Fiction any more huh?" she said.

They both sat back and laughed as outside the sky got darker and the snow continued to come down.

000

The trucks pulled back into the base and everyone dismounted for a bite search. Sgt. Major Blake wore a sour look on his face as they finished and Rika walked up.

"How did it go?" she asked. She was a little surprised when he snapped to attention and saluted.

"Leftenant, I regret to inform you that we had three casualties and have two MIA."

She looked at him stunned for a second before responding, "First, who is MIA?"

"Schweiger and Komuro," he told her. "But we know about where they are and they went to ground in a good place."

Rika closed her eyes for a minute. Taking a deep breath she opened them again, "That's not going to make it any easier to tell _her_ and Misa-san though. Come on and let's do that. You can tell me the rest along the way."

000

Saeko was surprised when she looked away from the training students to see Saya standing in the dojo's doorway. "Something you needed, Saya-san?" she asked her friend.

The pink haired girl looked grim, "Saeko-san, we need you and your father in the main living area please."

Saeko and Kage both frowned as they got up and followed the girl over the walkway and into the house. Inside they found Rika, Sergeant Major Blake and the Takagi's waiting on them. As they sat down Shizuka came in with Misa and the baby.

"What is wrong?" Saeko said as she looked at the frowning faces, a slight panic creeping into her voice. "What has happened?"

Blake cleared his throat, "Ah, the raiding party got separated during the operation. We are sure they are alive, but Schweiger and Komuro are currently MIA."

"MIA, what does that mean?" Misa asked as she clutched the baby to her.

"Missing in Action," Rika told her. "Whereabouts unknown."

"So they could be…dead?" the girl asked as she began to shake. Shizuka and Yuriko got on either side of her and supported her.

"No, Misa-chan," Blake said. "Davis talked to Komuro on the radio as we were pulling back. He said they had gone to ground in a safe location and would be waiting on us to return."

"How did this happen?" the swordswoman asked, her voice sharper than she meant for it to be.

"Everything was going fine, but there must have been an elementary school nearby. All of a sudden we had several hundred undead kids and teachers coming out of alleys on our flanks. We lost three men before we could fall back and regroup. Takashi and Alex were the furthest team north and a construction scaffolding fell between us and them. Davis ordered them to go to ground and we fell back to the trucks."

"When will we be going back for them?" Kage asked.

"First light. The snow has gotten too heavy to see clearly to drive with the roads being narrow and up on hillsides like they are," Rika said. "We will take Stryker 1 and mow Them down with the dozer blade to get through."

Saeko nodded and said, "Have no fear, Misa-chan. Takashi will not let anything happen to Alex-san."

Even though she was still shaking, the girl nodded, "I know, Senpai; I have faith in both of them."

The onna-bugeisha turned her gaze back to the others, "Of course I will be going with you in the morning, but for now please excuse me. I will be in my room if I am needed."

The others silently watched her go.

Once she was in the bedroom, she knelt down on their futon and then leaned forward prostrate. Her hands clenched the cloth for a few minutes before she got her emotions under control and she sat up. She began to chant a mantra to herself as she prepared to go into a meditative trance.

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow.

Terms:

Dutch oven – when someone farts under a heavy blanket or bedding and it traps the heat and smell in…until they raise the edge! Then comes the _silent death_!

EN: 1st posted 5/21/15


	7. Chapter 7

We do not own Highschool of the DEAD or its characters.

* * *

Chapter 7

 _Zday+201_

Alex woke up shivering in the bitter cold. Looking around she could just barely see Takashi's shape hovering over the fireplace.

"Ur, what time is it?" she asked as she pulled the ratty old wool blanket closer around her.

"Umm, around oh... oh-three-hundred…I think," he replied.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked even though she thought she already knew the answer.

"Fire's gone," he said. "Wood was dryer than we thought and burned up fast. Temp's down around 0 or so, maybe even be colder than that."

Alex blew out a breath that even she could see in the almost nonexistent light. It clouded heavily and she wondered what it felt like outside if it was this cold inside the building. "Come over and get under the blanket. I can hear your teeth rattling from here."

"Umm, maybe I…"

"Cadet…do I need to make that an order?"

"Uh, no, Lance Corporal."

"Damn, I was hoping you would say yes so I could assert my authority!" she said with a smirk.

"Well if anyone asks I'll tell them you ordered me to cuddle with you!" he replied with a shivering smirk.

He sat down beside her and they wrapped the blanket around them. After a few minutes, though, they realized that was not going to work.

"Okay new plan. We drop our web gear and coats, get close, put on the blanket and then lay the coats on top," she said.

"I'm game," he said as he removed his TAC vest and leather jacket.

Her outer coat was an Army issue camo model, but did not have the inside liner. She did opt to keep her fleece pullover on.

They settled back down with everything arranged and after a few minutes Takashi stopped shivering.

"Feeling better?" she asked as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Much," he murmured. He was trying to not think about how nice Alex's soft curves felt.

"So what was that all about? I ain't cute enough to cuddle with?" she asked, teasing the boy.

"You know better than that. I was respecting your space. You do have a girlfriend after all," he said.

"You more worried about my girlfriend or Senpai?" she asked with a chuckle.

"Saeko would understand. After what you said about Misa's emotions, she might not."

Alex thought about it for a minute and then shook her head, "No we trust each other more than that. She knows better." She shivered again and Takashi put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Alex shifted slightly putting her back to his chest and leaned her head back onto his shoulder.

"Mmm, that's nice," she murmured as Takashi put his head against hers. They sat like that for a while gathering each other's warmth.

"How was the weather where you are from? California I think it was?" he said.

"Yeah, Santa Monica on the coast near LA," she replied. "I think the lowest it ever got there was about fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Highs could get in the 90's but it didn't feel like it because of the breeze coming off the ocean."

"Do you miss it?" he asked.

"Sometimes, but not really. It was just a place Mom and I lived while Dad was off in the Mid-East. After he died we stayed for a while, but then Mom decided she needed to be near family and Dad didn't have any. We moved here, but except for an aunt and cousin, Mom's family never accepted me."

"I'm sorry to hear that. What about your mother? What do you think might have happened to her?"

"No idea," the girl said as she shook her head slightly. "If she was smart, and she was, she would have climbed into the attic crawl space and hunkered down until the initial wave passed. I'm not sure after that."

"Maybe we will find her," the boy said. "There are still a lot of people out there you know."

"I would like to think so," Alex sighed, "But at this late date, I have given up hope."

Takashi squeezed her a bit tighter to him. "You must never give up hope," he cautioned. "Someone who has given up hope has truly lost everything."

Alex let her head fall forward, exposing the nape of her neck. She knew this was a provocative act; knew the nape of the neck was considered highly erotic in Japanese culture, but subconsciously, she intended it to happen. She could feel Takashi stiffen behind her, felt his breath quicken slightly.

"Make me hope again, Takashi," Alex half asked, half pleaded. She felt his grip tighten slightly before it slackened. She let her eyes close, knowing before he said anything.

"I can't," he whispered.

"Can't or won't?"

"I can't because you are spoken for and I am spoken for. We gave our vows and they are not easily broken."

"Who's to know if we do?" Alex pressed.

"I would know and you would know," Takashi said, his voice flat and firm. "Sooner or later, it would come out and jeopardize everything."

Alex sighed, "Can't blame a girl for trying."

"Make no mistake, Alex. You are a very beautiful woman and Misa is very lucky to have you. But my heart belongs to Saeko and hers to me. I can't, in good conscience, betray that trust."

"You are a good man, Charlie Brown," Alex chuckled. "But be careful. Good men don't last in shit storms."

"You obviously haven't received the memo. I am an unreformed and unrepentant delinquent."

Alex shifted against Takashi in such a way as to allow her to plant a chaste kiss on his cheek. "Thank you."

"For what," Takashi asked, rubbing the recently kissed cheek.

"For giving me hope."

A weak light filtered into the windows high overhead. Takashi gave Alex one last hug before he extricated himself from their huddle. "I suppose we should explore a bit, get a sense of where we are. Moving around will help keep us warm also."

They redressed in silence. Alex re-laced her boots as Takashi slipped into his leathers. Re-armed and braced for the winter cold, Alex volunteered to take the lead. Their initial sweep of the main shop floor revealed little of real value or use. Recent signs of activity suggested the place had already been looted. Some empty workbenches and cabinets stood along a wall.

"There's a stairway over there," Takashi pointed into the gloom. Alex swept the flashlight revealing the afore-mentioned stair. "Shall we?"

"What the hell," Alex said. "I've lived a good life." She led the way up the stairs into a small office. It, too, appeared to have been thoroughly cleaned out. File cabinets lay open and the desk tipped onto the floor. Paper scattered about the floor, but nothing useful here either.

"This place was kind of a bust," Alex sighed. "You mentioned a convenience store last night. What are the odds anything is left to eat?"

"Not sure, but I'm willing to take a chance. You up for it?"

"Anything to get moving and warm again."

"And get our comms clear," Takashi amended. "The relief squad may try for us today and I want to be where they can reach us."

"Agreed. Want me to keep point?"

"If you don't mind, your blade is better out front in this case," Takashi replied.

Alex fingered the hilt of her sword, but seemed to think better of it and instead drew her parang as she cautiously opened the side door. Takashi slung his shotgun across his back then hefted his bat over his shoulder in a ready down stroke position. They backtracked a couple of blocks around the debris that had cut them off the day before. Working their way silently in the fresh powder, the sun was near toward mid-morning by the time the duo reached their destination.

"Well, shit," Alex swore loudly as their faces fell. The store had been completely and utterly gutted. They picked their way through broken glass, ever wary of one miss-step giving away their presence to any undead that may be lurking unseen. The shelves were completely empty, save for a few wrappers and used first-aid items. Anything edible was long gone and even some of the shelves had been taken.

"Now what, Lance Corporal?"

Alex took in the area of the store, "It's way too exposed here. I don't like it. Any ideas? You said you been here before."

"I would be happiest away from all this built up area," Takashi said. "Want to try and get across the river? It gets us out of town and will make it easier for the rescue team to find us."

"Makes it easier for marauders to find us as well," Alex muttered. "Two young people alone in the wilderness ain't very good odds.

"Staying here with all of Them is even worse. At least if the bad guys are living we have a slightly better chance of negotiations."

"We could try for the southern safe zone," Alex offered. "It's a bit closer than Onohira."

"And all built up the entire way," Takashi countered. "I really think we're better off going for the base."

"How far do you think it is?" she asked.

The boy thought for a minute, "About eight kilometers I think. Hard to tell with the road as curvy as it is."

Alex thought long and hard. Takashi made several very good points, and her training under Blake and his men reminded her that a good commander listened to their troops and considered all options before committing to a course of action. Getting out of the city got them a bit closer to Onohira and away from so many dead heads was definitely a good idea.

"Agreed," Alex said. "There isn't anything here worth eating anyway. Good thing I still have the mac and chili. At the very least, my farts will guide the rescue team to us." Alex let a short laugh escape as the boy shook his head.

000

Saeko was up well before dawn. She would have left then if she could have, but she would have had to walk and the others would have been…mad.

 _I really must learn to drive_ , she thought to herself as she entered the main room. There she found Misa kneeling next to the hearth with little Megumi.

She knelt down next to the girl and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Did you get any sleep, Misa-chan?" she asked quietly.

The girl shook her head, "No Senpai, I was too worried."

"Misa-chan, please call me Saeko, We are all family now after all."

The younger girl nodded and sniffed as Saeko put her arm around her shoulders.

"It's alright, they are safe and will soon be home, you have my word on that," the swordswoman told her.

"We have never been apart except for a few days while she was training on the ship," Misa said. "I thought I had prepared myself, but now I'm just so worried. I…I don't know what I would do without her."

Saeko's thoughts of leaving early left her as she sat with the girl. A while later Shizuka and Rika entered with mugs of tea and coffee.

"Here you two, drink something and warm up," Rika said as Shizuka passed the cups out.

"How much longer before we go?" Saeko asked as she let go of Misa and settled back.

"Bout an hour or so," Rika told them. "We need to get some good hot food in us and pack something for them also. I bet they're hungry by now."

Misa shook her head, "Alex always carries an MRE and a can of peaches in her pack. They would at least have that."

"Smart girl, though I wonder why peaches?" Rika said.

"Something to do with her father," Misa replied. "Alex said he always kept a can in his bag. Maybe something to do with luck?"

Rika shrugged as she thought about it, "Well wouldn't be the weirdest thing I heard of. I've seen everything from monkey paws to foreskins before."

"Eww, why would anyone want to carry that around with them?" Rei asked as she and Saya came in from the kitchen.

"Claimed it was with him when he was born and would be with him when he died. Said as long as he had it he would have good luck with women."

"Not if they knew about it I bet," Saya said with a disgusted look on her face.

The group heard footsteps at the door and it opened to reveal Sgt. Phillips. After removing his boots, he went over and knelt down beside Misa who leaned against his shoulder.

"Stryker 1 and the command car will be on the line in a few minutes," he said. "Everyone who is going needs to get to the mess hall and eat."

"Are you going with us, Sergeant?" Saeko asked.

He shook his head, "No due to the cold I have things to do here. A second group is going to have to go out hunting more coal and wood for the fires. We have a small supply, but with weather getting colder than we thought, we're going to need a lot more."

"Now I'm wondering what it is going to be like in the dead of winter around early January," Saya said. "And can we find enough coal and wood to last all winter?"

"Well in this part of Japan, coal is still used for a lot of things. Plus the government was pushing for more coal usage in power plants the last few years anyway. We already know where there are quite a few tons in storage. Proper wood is going to be harder to come by. Wood needs to be cut in advance and dried some because fresh wood does not burn well or at all," he told them. "Never fear, between Angie-san and myself we will work it out."

"Well then," Saeko said as she got up. "We will leave that to you. For now I think it is time to go." With that she bowed and left.

"I guess that means we're going also!" Rika said as she got up to follow the girl. "Come on, Shizuka, we need to go get ready." She waved at the others as she and the doctor also left.

"Where are the boys and the Captain?" Shaun asked.

"Kohta and Paddy went to get the Stryker ready early this morning," Saya said. "The Captain is in command and control."

"Are you going to be alright?" Shaun asked Misa.

The girl nodded, "Saya and Rei are going to stay with me. Plus the children are here so we will not be lonely." The children she referred to were Maresato Alice and Dean Masahiko who were still asleep with Alice's dog Zeke.

"Never alone when those two are around!" Shaun said with a smile as he got up. "Off to it! I'll be back soon."

The girls bid him goodbye as he left.

Saya looked thoughtful for a minute before getting up. "I'm going to light the fires under the bath. I'm betting they will both want a hot one when they get in and we need to make sure it does not freeze either."

The other two girls nodded as everyone started their day.

Up the path they could hear the whine of the Stryker's diesel engine as it pulled up in front of the mess hall.

000

"Ugh, maybe this was not such a good idea," Alex groaned as she and Takashi stumped through snow drifts.

They made it to the road leading back into the mountains towards the base. What should have been a good road jog for them was turning into a marathon slog.

"I've only seen it this deep a couple of times before," Takashi said. The snow on level ground came up to his knees, but the wind was blowing and some of the drifts were twice that. "But never in this part of the country or this early in the year. Plus it never stayed on the ground for long; it would melt after a few days."

"I know some places in the US it gets four meters high and sticks around till June," Alex told him. "But I've never been in it. We didn't have snow in my part of SoCal so personally I think it's beautiful, but I can see where you could get tired of it real quick."

Takashi pointed to a small open shrine on the side of the road. "Let's take shelter under there and rest a while," he said.

Alex nodded, "Maybe they will come along before we need to move again. It's almost noon; I wonder what's holding them up?"

000

 _Closer to the base:_

Saeko paced back and forth alongside of the road as she waited for the APC to clear a heavy drift.

Paddy and Kohta were in the machine as everyone else stood outside. Blake and Davis stood on either side of the dozer blade giving directions and making adjustments as needed. It was not that the engineering vehicle did not have the power to move the mass, but the tires were slipping on the icy asphalt causing them to lose traction.

The solution was to plow layers off a little at a time until they could finally push through. They had done this several times already, but the current drift was longer and deeper than they had dealt with before. Being tossed around inside the cab during this process was the reason everyone had gotten out.

Edmonds, Andrea and Sharpe stood overwatch as Rika, Shizuka and Saeko watched the operation.

"Are you cold?" Rika asked the girl. "I can't see you being so in that outfit."

Saeko was dressed in her knee-high boots, black cargo pants, and a turtleneck sweater. Over the top she was wearing a gift Takashi had found on one of their foraging raids, a black leather overcoat that fell just below her knees. She also wore a black knit cap and the hilt of her sword peeked over her right shoulder where it hung across her back.

"No, I am simply impatient," the girl replied.

"Well you need to work on that," Rika said. "They're about through anyway."

"Still no contact with them on the radio?" the dark-haired girl asked.

"No, but I'm not surprised either. These head sets are only good for a couple of klicks and in this hilly terrain a lot less than that."

"Mount up!" Blake called out as the back ramp of the APC dropped.

Saeko jogged towards the Stryker as Shizuka and Rika made their way to where the command Humvee sat with Private Kurogane behind the wheel.

000

"Well we better get going again," Takashi said as he stood up from where he was squatting. "Wait…Alex do you hear that?"

The girl listened closely and then nodded, "Sounds like one of the Strykers to me! Hey I got an idea! Roll up your right pants leg!"

000

They had hit a relative flat stretch before going down the last set of hills into the city. Suddenly Kohta and Blake began laugh.

"Saeko-san, climb up top please," Blake told the girl.

Puzzled she climbed out of one of the rear hatches and worked her way forward. As she knelt down between the two men she saw what they were laughing at. Up the road Takashi and Alex stood on the left side with their right pants legs rolled up and sticking out, while they held up their left hands, thumbs pointing further down the road.

"Oh I wish there was some way to punish them," Saeko said as she glowered.

"Watch this!" Blake said as he ducked down inside the cabin and called out, "Hey Flanery!"

000

Alex and Takashi watched as the APC got closer. They could see Saeko on top between Blake and Kohta, when suddenly black smoke poured from the exhaust pipe. The engine roared and the machine surged forward picking up speed before slamming into a snow drift a few feet from them.

Snow shot into the air like in an explosion and fell…right on top of the hitchhiking pair.

The Stryker slid by as the driver locked the brakes. As it came to a stop with the rear ramp next to them, Saeko dropped down off the top.

She walked over to stand in front of the pair as the rest of the crew exited the rear of the vehicle. She looked at them for a minute, still standing in the same leg out position, but now covered in snow, and said, "Need a ride, sailor?"

Takashi's teeth began to chatter as he muttered, "Soooo cooold!"

Alex scrunched her face up like she was going to cry and squalled, "WORST! RESCUE! EVER!"

Everyone cracked up with laughter as Saeko hugged Takashi to her and Andrea ran up with a blanket to wrap around Alex.

000

"So the Sergeant Major leans down into the cabin and says, 'Hey Flanery! Stomp the gas and give'm a snow shower!'" Kohta said as he laughed so hard he almost could not finish the story. "We hit this snow drift doing about thirty-five and there was a three meter high wave that went straight up and landed right on the both of them!"

Everyone roared with laughter…everyone except Alex and Takashi that is.

"I'm telling you that man can be just plain mean!" the girl exclaimed from her spot next to Misa as Takashi lay curled up next to the fire, his head in Saeko's lap.

"Eh! That's what you get for laying out all night and making me worry!" Misa declared as she pinched and pulled on her girlfriend's ear.

"OW! OW! OW! Hey I need that!"

Little Alice rolled on the floor and pointed at the older girl, "Hahahaha! Alex-chan got punished for being bad!"

"Oh I was being bad was I?" Alex said with a gleam in her eye. She crawled to where the child was lying and captured her with her hands. "I'll show you bad, Missy! I'll get you and your little dog too! Wahahahaha!"

"Okay enough of that, you two," Misa called out as the pair got louder. She grabbed Alex by the collar and started dragging her toward the rear of the house. "The bath is ready. Time to get in."

"Okay, okay I'm going!" Alex said as she got her feet under her and headed to the back.

"Rei-san, thank you for watching Megumi while we bathe," Misa said with a little bow.

"Oh I don't mind. Its good practice," the ginger-haired girl replied. This statement caused Paddy's eyes to widen and a "Huh!?" escaped his lips. Saeko held up her hand to hide her amusement as Rei winked quickly at Misa.

"You coming?" Rika asked Saeko as she and Shizuka got up to follow the younger girls.

"In a minute," she replied as she massaged Takashi's neck. "Are you warmer now?" she asked him.

"Think I need to go ahead and get in the bath…" he said as he started to rise up.

Saeko pushed him back down and tapped him lightly on the head, "Bad Takashi! You are not allowed to go play in the bathtub with the girls. Especially if Shizuka-sensei is in there!"

The others laughed but Alice looked perplexed. "But Sensei is fun to play in the bath with!" the little girl said.

000

Misa had just finished shampooing Alex's hair when Rika and Shizuka came in.

The blond planted herself on a bathing stool while Rika started rinsing her hair down.

Once Alex and Misa had both showered off they got in the big tub while the other women washed.

Saeko came in a minute later and sat down at the stool the girls had just left.

"Aw, you didn't bring Takashi-kun with you, Senpai?" Alex teased.

"He thought about it, but I reminded him Sensei did not have enough plasma to replace the blood he would lose when he saw her assets hanging out," the girl replied with a smirk.

"He's seen my assets!" Shizuka said, but then she paused. "No maybe he's just played with my butt…yeah that was it! Back at Rika's mansion!"

"What!?" Alex asked as Misa giggled. "Okay now I gotta know!"

Saeko laughed, "It was the second night of the outbreak. We had made it to Rika-san's apartment and the girls had all taken a bath together while the boys broke into her gun cabinet. After the bath Shizuka and Rei got into some of the sake that was stored there. Shizuka proceeded to go upstairs and 'thank' the boys for their hard work, and then she passed out. Takashi had to carry her back down to the living room which gave him reason to clamp onto and squeeze her butt to keep her on his back."

Shizuka giggled, "He was so embarrassed, but he enjoyed it too!"

Saeko laughed, "Also, Rei had on a tank top and panties and wanted him to pay attention to her. Saya was wearing a halter top and a pair of super short shorts."

"So what did you have on?" Alex asked as she and Misa reclined against the side of the tub while Rika and Shizuka got in.

"Oh I could not really find anything to fit me at first so I ended up with a simple maid's apron and a thong," she said with a smile. "Takashi was quite taken with it when he saw it. I still have it somewhere."

"Oh my god!" Alex exclaimed. "I bet he blew a quart of blood from his nose when he saw you in that! A naked apron! Senpai is bold!"

"I think he withstood the shock rather well," she said with a smirk as she settled into the bath with them.

Alex laughed as Misa giggled. The red-haired girl settled in lower and watched the women she now considered friends. They relaxed easily in the bath together, unembarrassed in their nudity.

"What's wrong, Alex-san? You're turning red, are you getting overheated?" Shizuka asked as she leaned forward to get a closer look at the girl.

Alex shook her head, "No Sensei. I was just thinking how easy it is to get in the bath together now. I really had a problem with it at first."

"You should have seen her," Misa said. "Ah-chan was soaking in the tub when Mama-Asuka and I came in. She held on until Mama-Asuka started talking about how pretty and soft her skin was. Then she bolted like a scared mouse!"

The others laughed as Alex slid lower in the water until only her nose and eyes showed.

"It is enjoyable to relax and soak with friends. To talk of simple things and let the day's troubles melt away," Saeko said. She looked to the door as it slid open and Saya came in. "Come to join us, Saya-chan?" she asked.

"Not today," the girl replied. "We are going to eat supper. What are you going to do?"

Rika stood up and stretched, "Shizuka and I will come too. It's still early and I have some paperwork to do and people to talk to."

"I'm tired," Alex said. "I just want to go to sleep."

"You need to eat though, Alex-san," Shizuka said as she dried off with a towel. "If you and Misa-san want to stay here I will bring something back for you."

"We will do that, thank you, Sensei," Misa said.

"Mind you don't soak too long," Shizuka said. "It's not healthy to get over heated." She turned to Saeko. "What about you, Saeko-san?" she asked.

"I'm going to get Takashi in the bath as soon as everyone is out," she said. "I would appreciate it if you also brought us some food. Please send him in as you go out."

"I guess it's time for us to go also then," Alex said as she and Misa stood up. "Don't want to interrupt Saeko-senpai's alone time!"

000

Shaun climbed out of the Humvee, weary after the long day. After submitting to the bite search he climbed the stairs to the base communications and commander's office. He tapped on the doorframe before stepping to Tomasa's desk.

"Reporting in, all safe and accounted for, Captain," he said as the other man waved for him to sit down.

"Where are we standing now, Sergeant?" Tomasa asked.

Shaun was about to speak when Angie Park rushed in the door.

"I'm sorry, Captain," the Korean woman said. "I just heard they were back and wanted to get the Sergeant's report when you did."

"That's alright, Angie-san. Have a seat, he has not started yet."

Shaun smiled as the woman sat down, "We were able to secure about two hundred kilograms of coal. This should last around a week for heating purposes. The coaling facility we found has several thousand tons of coal and should last us quite a while. The first thing we need to do is move a large amount of that supply to the base. This will necessitate the building of a coal bunker and finding a means of transporting the coal to it. I talked to Flanery and he thinks he can get a small dump truck and frontend loader we saw at the coaling facility running which would solve those concerns."

"Coal bunker is easy enough," Angie interjected. "It's nothing but a three sided concrete box. We can make it from wood at first and then replace it with concrete when the weather warms up."

Shaun nodded, "I agree. We can put it to one side of the mechanic shop in the edge of the trees. But you cannot cook with coal and while the mess currently has electric as well as propane, we will need to have a back-up system."

"Cookie has already been talking to me about this," Tomasa said. "He wants to put a large fireplace on one side of the ground floor and build a pavilion out back for wood burning stoves and grill pits. Of course this is again going to have to wait till the weather warms up."

"Wood," Shaun sighed as he continued. "Is another problem entirely. We found several small sources of already cut firewood, but none of it will last for long. Currently the Captain's quarters and the bath house are the only locations that require wood, but wood burning stoves and heaters may be needed more in the future. The bathhouse may be able to be converted to coal to heat the boiler there though. The bigger concern right now is the snow."

Tomasa grimaced, "Meteorology is telling us this is being caused by ocean effect. This area of Japan normally gets some snow, but nothing like what we are seeing right now. They are currently predicting lower temperatures for the rest of the season and all of next year also. The nuke that went off probably had a lot to do with that I suppose."

"The roads are getting worse," Shaun said. "The engineering Stryker can plow them, but it would be better to have something more dedicated to the job. I am thinking a front end loader or a road grader would do the trick."

"There we may be in luck," Tomasa smirked. "Seems a certain American armor corps officer familiar to Paddy, pushed his way from Camp Zama all the way to the Southern safe zone with a column of Strykers, cargo trucks, fuel tankers and enough ammo to blow up half of Yokohama."

"I'm not following, Captain," Shaun said.

"This officer, a certain Major Brannigan, has an M-3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle – calls it 'Nancy', or something to that effect – with a dozer blade mounted to the forward hull. The combination of tracked vehicle and dozer blade makes short work of snow drifts."

"Assuming we can convince the Major to do this," Angie chipped in.

"We have a few days before we need to worry about that," Tomasa sighed. "Right now, I want to get on with our immediate tasks of power, fuel and storage."

"All this just takes time," Angie said. "We cannot build the power plant until the weather lets up and gets warmer. Same thing goes for most of the projects we need to make the base totally self-sufficient. I'm thinking just hunker in for the winter and try to do as little as possible until it starts to thaw out."

"We still have to patrol and forage," the Captain said. "But except for training, we will try to reduce activity until the weather breaks. If there is nothing else, let's call it a day for now. Shaun, stay for a bit, I have something to talk to you about."

The Englishman nodded as Angie waved and left.

Tomasa leaned back in his seat and put his hands behind his head, "I had a very interesting conversation with your wife this morning about the young ladies."

"Oh, I bet you did," the engineer said with a frown.

"It seems we will be getting a new resident in the next few days," the Japanese man said with a smile. "When a flight can get in here of course. She seemed very determined, once she found out you might be here for most of the next six months or so, to be here with you and the girls."

"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean for her to cause you any problems," the Brit said.

Tomasa waved his hand in front of him, "No, no, there is no problem. There are already a few other families here so one more will not hurt. That being said, how would you like to have one of the transit homes to live in? They are 1k with a six mat living area."

"That would be fine for Asuka and I, but what about the girls? I don't expect them to keep freeloading on you for the foreseeable future."

"They can have one of the others if they want it. We built twelve of them and some of the other small families are already living in a couple of them. Dean-san and her son have already moved into the first one, even though he spends as much time at the main house with Alice-chan. They were never really meant for refugees, I like for them to stay under watch in a barracks, plus most don't stay more than two or three days anyway."

Shaun nodded, "I'm sure she would like to have our own place so I will take you up on it."

"Good," Tomasa replied. "Right now though, let's go get some chow and talk about what our plans are for tomorrow."

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow.

EN: 1st posted 6/28/15


	8. Chapter 8

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 8

 _Zday+201_

"Hey, sweetie, miss me?" Alex crept into the room and crawled into bed. The events of the last couple of days had beaten her to the bone and she wanted to sleep for a week. Misa gently kissed her forehead and covered her with the comforter.

"I missed you today," she said. "I was worried about you."

Alex snorted a bit. "I just wanted to get back here and sleep with my love, but the Sar Major had other plans."

Misa added a small lump of coal to the brazier and checked on Megumi as she snored so gently in the cradle nearby. Misa smiled contentedly then turned her attentions back to Alex. "I wanted nothing more than to be safe in your arms." Alex responded with a slight moan and another grunt, but said nothing more. "Poor thing, you must be dead tired."

Misa pulled the shoji closed and closed the curtains that lined the room. She checked the baby one last time before slipping into her pajamas. She climbed into the futon and snuggled against Alex. "Brr, Ah-chan. Your skin is freezing. Let me warm you…what is that smell?"

Misa felt a strong grip around her mid-section. "Ah-chan, you're frisk – ow! Why'd you bite me?"

Her answer came with a putrid puff of cold air across her cheeks as the face she thought belonged to Alex leered into view in the semi-dark. Her screams muffled into the mouth of her once lover as a zombified Alex bit Misa's tongue off.

000

The screams woke the entire house. Within seconds, Saeko burst into the room from the right off the outside porch, her Murata at the ready, Takashi close behind, his shotgun racked and cocked, searching for a target. Kohta and Saya tumbled in from the opposite, pistols leveled at the futon. The baby was letting her displeasure be known at being so rudely awaken.

Alex rubbed her ear as she tried to stop the ringing. "Damn, woman! What the fuck?" she cursed in English. "Scared shit outta me!"

Misa sat up in bed trembling, sweat pouring from her forehead. She took a few minutes to gather her wits as Rika, Shizuka and Captain Tomasa stormed through the hallway screen. Rei followed shortly behind, her naginata in ready position. Paddy walked in a second later, a baseball bat shouldered and eyes sweeping the hall behind him.

"Is everyone alright?" Tomasa asked. Everyone sounded off, except Misa who still shook with terror, tears streaming down her face, as she clung to Alex.

Shizuka and Rika settled next to the couple, Shizuka nodding to the other students. "I think she needs a moment alone, please."

Saeko sheathed her blade and bowed curtly. She returned to her room and bade Takashi follow. He racked his gun once to eject the unused shell before engaging the safety. Saya and Kohta de-cocked their pistols and returned to their futon.

"Mi-chan," Alex whispered into Misa's ear. "Tell me. What happened?"

"It was horrible," Misa wept. Her fingers dug into Alex's bare shoulders. "We were going to bed and I had just talked to you. When I lay down you pulled me close, but…you had turned! You bit me and that's when I started to scream…"

Shizuka left the room and came back a few minutes later. She held out several pills and a bottle of water. "Misa, I want you to take these and drink this. These will calm you and let you go to sleep," the older woman said.

Misa nodded and did as she was told. When finished she leaned back and let Alex cradle her against her chest. Shizuka hummed a soft tune while rubbing the girl's hair and in a few minutes Misa began to lightly snore.

Rika waved her hand in front of her face to get Alex's attention. She motioned for the girl to follow them as they headed for the door. Alex stopped only long enough to pick up the baby and then trailed after them.

In the main room they found Kage, Shaun, Yuriko and Souichirou sitting with a kettle hanging over the hearth fire.

Yuriko held her hands out for Megumi as Kage poured tea for all of them. "How is she?" the woman asked as she nestled the child against her shoulder.

"I gave her a nerve pill and two sleeping pills," the doctor said. "She should be out until late morning. This is not an answer though; she will need a different kind of care from what I see."

"I figure this was set off by Alex being MIA for two days," Rika said. "Kami knows we've had enough people break down since this started."

"Who else has had problems?" Souichirou asked.

"Saya broke down at the school after she killed a teacher with a power drill," Shizuka told them. "Saeko was there for her then. Saeko had a crisis when she and Takashi were separated before arriving at the Takagi mansion. Kohta broke down after having to kill the police girl when we left the mall. Rei had a series of small episodes after the disaster at the elementary school and Takashi had a spell of PTSD after Rika arrived at the house we were hiding at when we joined with the police convoy."

"We didn't know," Yuriko said sadly. "There is still so much we don't know about what they all went through after the school fell. What happened at the mansion did not help either I am sure."

"I had one right after we met Papa Shaun and Mama Asuka," Alex told them. "I was soaking in the tub thinking about my father when it hit me. Misa and Mama were there for me though."

Shaun sighed as he leaned back and looked at the ceiling. A minute later he sat up again and looked at his adopted daughter. "I think you should tell what happened on Ikei, Alex," he said.

Alex looked shocked for a second before she responded, "I…I feel like I would be betraying a trust, Papa…I don't know if I can do that…"

"They need to know what we are dealing with, Shizuka especially."

"I think I know what you are referring to," Kage said. "I read the report by the captain of Ark Royal and I agree with your father Alex-chan."

"Are you talking about the Osaka trip?" Rika asked. "I know about some of that but not all."

Alex shook her head, "No Rika-san, the Osaka expedition is part of it, but not the whole story." She blew out a breath and started, "While we were in Osaka we had to hide. Since Misa originally lived there, we headed for her house…and we ran into what had been Mi-chan's old man."

"You had to kill Misa's father?" Kage asked.

Alex shook her head, "Not me. Misa did it. Scared the crap outta me too. Laughing like a lunatic all the while she pulverized the old man's head with my bokken. It attracted several walkers to us."

"Do you think this may have caused her reaction tonight?" Shizuka pressed lightly. "Having to do something like that can't be easy."

"He was the step-father." Alex lowered her head, hiding her eyes behind her fringe. "Her mom's second husband... he – did things...to Misa..."

Kage pinched the bridge of his nose as the rest of the audience registered their shock upon realization.

"Then there was the incident on Ikei this past summer," Shaun broke the silence. Alex turned and gaped at Shaun, but he waved her off. "Misa was set upon by several men and sexually assaulted. Took a few days and some, er, creative questioning by the Sar Major, to get the guilty parties to confess."

Alex cleared her throat and finished the tale, "They said it was because Mi-chan was going with me and we are partners. So Captain McElroy sentenced them to banishment." She fell silent for a moment, "Not just for the hate crime, but because they attacked Mi-chan and seriously jeopardized the social harmony of the settlement. A day or two later the Sgt. Major loaded them up on a boat, with Misa and me as witnesses, and put them out on an infested island south of Okinawa. They lasted about two minutes before the zeds came down on them and ate them right there on the dock."

"It was not long after that, we found out Misa was pregnant," Shaun told them. "She miscarried several weeks later. Shortly before we left Ikei they found little Megumi. No one thought twice when she said she would be the one to raise the child."

The group sat in stunned silence for some minutes. "How horrible, what that poor child has been through," Yuriko said as she covered her mouth. "I can understand why she needs to do this though."

"Probably the best thing for her," Souichirou said. "But, what else can we do to help her Doctor?"

Shizuka though for a minute before responding, "She is going to need psychiatric care as well as the support of everyone around her. I will talk to our friends onboard the Mercy. I'm sure they have someone on staff to deal with things like this."

"My biggest worry is what happened on Ikei happening again," Alex said. "I don't mean the rape, the bigotry over two girls being a couple."

Rika shook her head, "I don't see it here. Most of our group is pretty much open minded. Anyone that might not be _better_ keep their mouths shut. If I ever hear of something like that, I'll stomp them to the ground so fast they will never know what hit them."

Tomasa coughed loudly once and gently shook his head at his subordinate, "No more boots to people's heads, Lieutenant." Alex tried, but failed to suppress a giggle.

"That's what Takashi said," Alex said as she regained her composure. "I talked to him about this last night and he said no one he knew cared or if they did they kept their mouths shut about it."

"If you ever have a problem you come to me at once. Don't try to handle it yourself, don't try to talk it out, just come to me," Rika told her.

"Ah, just so you know Alex, it seems I'll be here a good bit longer than we thought. Most of the work we need to do we can't because of the early winter." Shaun grinned, thinking of what he would say next, "That being the case, Asuka-chan is going to be joining us as soon as they can get a flight in under the weather."

Alex's face lit up brightly, "Mama's coming!? That will do Misa a world of good right there!"

"It will be pleasant for me also," he said as he nodded. "With that, the Captain has offered us one of the new little houses to live in while we are here. He also wants to know if you and Misa would like to move into one also. He is not pushing you out of here, he just though the two of you might like the privacy and a place you could call you own."

Alex thought about it for a minute before responding, "That might be a good idea. While we really enjoy being here with everyone else, it would be nice to have a place of our own. I'll have to talk to her first of course."

"Well we should all get back to bed," Kage said. "We still have a lot to do before we leave tomorrow."

Taking Megumi back from Yuriko, Alex bid them good night and went back to her room. After getting the baby settled, the girl crawled back into bed with Misa and pulled the smaller girl close before trying to sleep.

000

Kage and Souichirou stood, bowed and bade their good nights. Yuriko followed shortly thereafter. Shizuka leaned over, nuzzled gently into Rika's neck and offered to keep the futon warm until Rika was ready to turn in. Shaun sat at the hearth, Rika to his right. "Something else bothering you, Shaun?" Rika gently tugged his ear.

Shaun blushed at the attention and sighed deeply, "I didn't want to bring this up, because Alex needs to, but..."

"Has this got to do with her flipping out before you arrived here?" Rika pressed gently.

"I had hoped Alex would step up, but..." Shaun said. "Since she seems reluctant, I have to be the one. I trust you read the Sar Major's report?"

Rika nodded.

"Then you know she went over the edge and proceeded to kill every zombie in sight. What you may not have heard was what happened next. Misa was left behind during Alex's blood hunt."

"That I did not know," Rika said. "Anything else you wish to share with me, Sergeant?"

Shaun glanced at his empty tea cup, contemplating his next statement. "When she got home that night, she blamed herself for everything that had happened. Yelled at Misa and Asuka and ended up driving them from the room. She took a poke at my eye and disappeared into the night."

Rika stiffened at the last statement, "She hit you, Shaun-san?" Shaun nodded. Rika placed her hand on his and gently squeezed. "Has she done this before? Lost control, I mean?"

"I can't say for sure, but she does have some serious abandonment issues of her own. Near as my wife and I can tell, it has to do with her father always being away. Alex will not or cannot open up to us about that part of her life. Every time Asuka tries to coax some info out of her, Alex simply shuts down and refuses to speak."

Rika set her lip in a firm line. "That is news. News I needed to hear before I put Alex on the line. Why am I just now hearing about this?"

"My apologies, Leftenant," Shaun said, hanging his head. "Had I known this would have affected your decisions, I would never have consented for either of them to leave Okinawa."

Rika shook her head, "It's not your fault, Shaun. I read the Sar Major's report, had a bit of a heart to heart with the girls when they got here and was given the okay by the Cap. Come morning, I am going to share this with him."

Shaun blanched slightly. Rika, noticing this, waved him off, "I have to, Sergeant. Something like this could jeopardize whoever I pair her off with on future missions. As of this moment, I am taking her off my rotation and confining her to base until she either comes around and deals with whatever is eating her up, or the _Kaiwo Maru_ can take them back to Okinawa.

Shaun heaved a heavy sigh, "I am reluctant to agree, Leftenant, but you are correct. Allow me to be the one to break it to her in the morning?"

Rika smiled, "She's off tomorrow afternoon anyway. Take her around; show her what you and Angie have planned. Break it to her gently."

"You may count on me to do just that."

At that, Rika stood, offered a hand up for Shaun and gently chucked him on the shoulder. "If you will excuse me, I have a standing – er, lying invitation for shut eye."

"Good night, Leftenant," Shaun said. He banked the fire and slid the door closed as he departed the house.

In the gloom of the hallway, Alex clenched her fists and tried desperately to choke back her tears. Failing miserably, she sulked toward her goal of the toilet room before returning to her futon. She slid back under the warm covers and held Misa close, trying vainly for sleep.

000

Takashi woke early, as he was wont of late and found, to his pleasant surprise, that Alex had preceded him. She sat at the hearth, a small fire smoldering under the pot, heating water.

"Good morning, Alex. Sleep well?"

Alex regarded him, heavy shadows under her eyes. "Not so much, no," she said with a grim look. "I overheard Shaun and the LT talking about pulling me off active duty for the time being."

Takashi set his mug on the counter and sat next to Alex. "Anything you want to talk about?"

"No," Alex said, tears creeping into her voice.

Takashi slid next to her, but held his tongue. "Whenever you feel like it. We are comrades in arms now. We share everything. But, I will respect your desire for privacy if you don't wish to share."

Alex smiled at him and heaved a huge sigh, "You won't leave me, will you?"

Takashi sat in stunned silence, trying to work out the phrasing in his head. "Where would I go?" he asked tentatively.

Alex shrugged her shoulders. Takashi watched as she gently swished her cup as it grew cold in her hand. "I don't want to be a problem for anyone."

Takashi looked at the girl, "You are not a problem, Alex. Why would you think that?"

"I just want to make my dad proud. Be the kind of person he can look in the eye and say 'I'm proud of you, kiddo'."

"You _are_ that person, Alex. Anyone in this compound will tell you as much."

Alex shook with tears as the cup clattered onto the floor, spilling its contents. Takashi had his arms around her and held her head to his shoulder.

"What is wrong with me, Takashi-kun? Why do I always fuck things up?"

Takashi turned at the sound of a light foot fall in the hall. Saeko stood in the half-light, her eyes burning violet. Takashi held his finger to his lip as she approached silently. She knelt beside him and gently stroked Alex's hair.

"Kouhai? Is there anything I may help you with?"

Alex looked up and met Saeko's gaze. She sniffed back her tears and let go of Takashi. "Sorry senpai. It seems I keep trying to steal your man."

Saeko chuckled softly. "If that were my worry, we would not be conversing." She took a deep breath. "I invite you to come to my dojo later today if you are free. Talk with me a while."

"I…I would like that, senpai. Thank you."

Takashi stood and gazed out the window to the lightening horizon. "I have armory duty today with Kohta and Toda. Better get ready." He leaned over to peck Saeko on the lips, "Be home for lunch, my love."

"I will be waiting," Saeko purred gently.

Alex snorted lightly and tried to hide a smile behind her hands. Saeko put a hard glance to Alex, but let it soften immediately. "Kouhai, you look terrible. As your senpai, it is my recommendation you try and sleep a while."

Alex knelt and pressed her forehead to the floor, "Yes, senpai."

She walked off as Saeko shook her head. She stood and reached out to Takashi. "I fear for her, my love. There is a lot of anger and fear in her eyes. Did she say anything while you were out yesterday?"

"No. She spoke of her father on several occasions, but when I tried to get more out of her, she changed subjects. What do you have in mind?"

Saeko let her thoughts drift for a moment, "I will train her to meditate, or try at least. Perhaps I will bring my father along. See if we can get her to let go of the past and work to the future."

000

Alex stood in the cold, manning the south gate with another trooper she had not spent much time with. The two had taken to pacing back and forth in a short pattern, as much to keep their body heat up as actually guarding.

"Brits and their moats," Alex said. "I once cussed Shaun out for just this thing. Now I could kiss his feet for them."

The trooper, Nitori, chuckled. "This place would be a lot harder to defend without them. I have to wonder at a culture that develops such defensive structures."

"Shaun told me once it had to do with England always being invaded like a thousand years ago," Alex responded. "They had to get good at building defenses since they were always at war with this or that enemy."

"And to think," Nitori said. "Here is Japan, so close to Asia and we had very few external threats…until They came."

Alex nodded solemnly. They continued pacing in silence a while longer until Nitori spoke up. "If – if I am not being too bold…"

Alex glanced at Nitori. He dropped his gaze to fumble with his weapon, pretending to clear a non-existent jam. Alex laughed lightly. Even after everything that had happened, the Japanese people were so polite. "You may ask me anything you wish, Nitori-san, but I reserve the right to choose which questions I answer."

Visibly relieved, Nitori scratched the back of his head and blushed slightly, though it could have very well been the cold for all Alex knew. "I was curious as to how someone, er, like yourself, came to know so much about fighting."

Alex cocked an eyebrow. "Not sure I'm following you, Nitori-san."

"My apologies, Schweiger-san. You are so young and – um…" He vaguely traced out an hour-glass with his hands.

Cottoning on, Alex laughed louder. "Because I'm a woman?" Nitori scratched the back of his head before apologizing. Alex waved him off. "Nothing to apologize for. My dad was in the US Army since before I was born. His father was in the West German army. I grew up idolizing that. I even told my mom I wanted to be a soldier when I graduated high-school."

"Then, how did you end up in Japan?"

"Mom freaked out," Alex sighed. "We had a huge fight. I ran out of the house. Got into a tussle with some other kids, landed in the hospital with a scar on my belly and a big time grounding when I got home. Mom decided I would be better off with her family. So she packed us up and got us on the next flight here."

She stopped pacing for a moment and stared at the ground. Nitori stopped pacing as well.

"Schweiger-san?"

Alex reluctantly returned her gaze to Nitori. She shook her head. "Spilled milk," she said in English. Seeing Nitori's confused look, she added, "Water under the bridge. It's in the past now."

As she said that, Rika, Shion and Saeko approached. The two guards snapped to attention and saluted. Rika returned the salute and looked Alex right in the eye, "New assignment for you, Schweiger. Saeko-chan here suspiciously asked that you accompany her alone to the dojo. Something about private lessons."

"Minami-san!" Saeko burst. "What is the meaning of such innuendo?"

Alex choked back a spit take as Nitori pinched his nose shut to stop a bleed. Shion bit her finger to keep from laughing, but ended up doubled over in a fit.

Rika laughed good-naturedly and wrapped an arm lightly about the sword-woman's shoulders. "Now, now, Busujima-sama," she said with mock seriousness. "All in good fun. All in good fun. I noticed the strained atmosphere and decided a good laugh is exactly what everyone needed. My apologies."

Saeko continued to fume at Rika before turning her attentions to Shion. "And you, trooper. Do not encourage such behavior. She is your superior officer. She should be setting a good example."

"Aw, lighten up, Saeko-chan," Shion laughed. "It's all in good fun. We all catch flak from her from time to time. Today was your turn."

Saeko folded her arms, but let her expression soften. Eventually, she let a slight smile crack her façade and gently took Alex by the arm. She bowed to Rika, Shion and Nitori and excused herself.

Once they had travelled far enough away, Alex cleared her throat, "What is this about, senpai?"

"About that. You and I are about the same age, 18? Am I correct?"

Alex nodded. Saeko smiled, "Then perhaps it is time we addressed each other as equals."

"But, you are a grade ahead of me," Alex said. "It wouldn't seem right."

Saeko sighed, "Look around you. We are no longer in school, Alex-san – may I at least call you Alex-san?"

Alex glanced at Saeko. It was not like the onna-bugeisha to break protocol without being invited first. She nodded her consent.

"Good. As I was saying, we are no longer students, but warriors, fighting a new and monstrous enemy. We must come to think of ourselves as comrades in arms, battle brothers and sisters."

Alex smiled at the term, "I hear you refer to Miyamoto-san as battle-sister, sen…"

Saeko smirked, "You may call me by my given name, Alex-san. Those I consider my battle brothers and sisters have that honor."

Alex blushed. "Thank you. It means a lot to me, sen, er, Saeko-san."

Saeko chuckled lightly. The walk to the dojo finished without Alex being aware of their travel. She sat on the porch and unlaced her boots as Saeko simply unzipped hers. She slid open one of the side doors and waited patiently as Alex finished. She bade Alex sit seiza beside her as they paid homage to the dojo's patron. That done, Alex paid her respects to Saeko as the dojo master and waited patiently for whatever was to come next.

"Tell me about your father, Alex-san."

Caught completely off guard, Alex stammered nonsense for a few moments until she caught her thoughts, "My – my father? Why do you ask? What would you like to know?"

"What kind of man was he?"

Alex let her head fall into her chest. Her heart hurt to think about all the time she lost with him since he was always overseas. "He was brave, loyal and kind," she said, sniffing her tears away with fading success. "I just wish…I had…more time…"

Saeko pulled Alex's head into her lap and let the ginger cry herself out. "Your father sounds to have been a very honorable man. I can see why you look up to his ideal, Alex-san."

Alex sobbed softly for a while longer before sniffing the last of her tears away. She sat up slowly before bowing her head to the mat, "My apologies, Busujima-dono. I dishonored you by breaking down like that."

Saeko lifted Alex's head to face her. "I am no-one's lord, Alex-san. There is no reason to apologize to me. You are human, as we all are. You have carried this pain a long time, it would seem."

"I only got to be with him so rarely. Growing up, he was away more than he was home. Always deployed in some far-away place. The last I got to see him was a video conference call at the Army base. He was killed not long after that."

Alex was beyond decorum at this point. A fresh wave a tears broke free as she collapsed into a heap. "Such a man to inspire this kind of love and adoration in his child," Saeko said as she slid beside her and once again held Alex's head in her lap. "That I can serve beside his daughter is a great honor, indeed," she whispered.

Alex cried herself out once again, but continued to lay on the tatami. Saeko held her tongue regarding decorum in a dojo, knowing that the ginger was in a delicate place. "How are you feeling, Alex-san?"

"I'm so tired, senpai. I feel like I wanna sleep forever."

"I feel the same pain you do, Alex-san. The loss of my mother pains my heart every day of my life."

Alex gazed up at the raven-haired beauty. She saw a look of hurt and shared sorrow on her face and knew, instinctually, that here was a kindred spirit. She sat up slowly. "How…how do you cope?"

Saeko smirked, "Until recent events, I found solace in the practice of the blade. It directs my pain and sorrow away from my heart where I may fling it at my target, leaving only the joy and comfort of the love my mother showed me as a young girl. It is that opportunity I wish to offer you."

Alex blinked at Saeko a few times. "But, I already study…"

A serene smile flitted across Saeko's lips, "You study the forms, yes. I want to show you how to use that to free your spirit of its burdens. Let go of your pain and sadness."

"I – I would like that."

Saeko spared a glance outside, "It is late in the morning, Alex-san. Have you eaten?"

"Not really, no. I was sick over getting pulled off the line, so I haven't really eaten anything."

Saeko cocked an eyebrow at Alex's statement. "You desire to be out there, eliminating the threat?"

Alex looked at Saeko in confusion, "Don't you? Taking the fight to the enemy instead of waiting around, cooped up like hogs in a pen?"

"Is that how you feel, Alex-san? Cooped up?"

Alex opened her mouth, but thought better of it. She contemplated her answer before speaking, "Sometimes…yes."

"Is this your attitude, or something you think your father would believe?"

"Dad would be out there," Alex said defiantly. "And I should be too. Even if it means my life."

"I do admire your goals, Alex-san," Saeko said. "Your willingness to sacrifice yourself to that goal is a trait common to valiant samurai. However, current circumstances demand otherwise of you. We need every able bodied warrior to value their lives and live for tomorrow, not just for themselves, but for those they protect and hold dear."

Alex winced slightly at the pointed reference to loved ones. Saeko noticing this, pressed further, "I have spoken to Sergeant Philips. He related the tale of your exploits, and, while honorable, were foolish in the extreme. He told me of how you abandoned -"

Alex glared at Saeko. "I didn't come here to get talked down to like a fucking kid, senpai!"

Saeko remained silent. She let Alex storm about the dojo, muttering and shouting in turns. It pleased her to note, however, the ginger did not storm _out_. Eventually, Alex spent her rage and returned to her place before Saeko. She pressed her head to the mat once again, "I'm sorry, Saeko-san. I let my temper get the best of me."

"It seems as though your temper is something we may need to work on first. I have a recommendation. I will talk to Rika-san and ask you be reassigned to the school for the next little while."

Alex gawped at Saeko in stunned silence before finding her tongue, "How is managing rugrats gonna keep my temper in check?"

"Assisting Rei with childcare will expose you to all manner of irritations. How you deal with those that cannot help what they do will show you for what you are and will highlight those areas you most need to work on."

Alex fish-mouthed a few times, but chose silence in the end. Saeko smirked slightly and let out a small hum of satisfaction. "I can't see where you're coming from*," she intoned slightly

"But I know just what you're running from," Alex sang back, catching on immediately. "And what matters ain't who's baddest, but the ones who stop you falling from your ladder."

"This ain't no place for no hero." They sang together, growing slightly louder. "This ain't no place for a better man. This ain't no place for no hero, to call home."

They finished their chorus and giggled softly. Saeko then stood and offered her hand to Alex, "Come Tiger of Ikei. Let us see if you are ready to face a den of lion cubs."

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow.

*Note- The song Saeko and Alex are singing is called 'Short Change Hero' by The Heavy.

EN: 1st posted 7/5/15


	9. Chapter 9

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 9

 _Zday+202_

Weighing sail

The day had finally come to say goodbye. After two days of clear skies, the heavy snow had broken off and it was mid-morning when Stryker 1 set out for the harbor, pushing a path through the white powder with its dozer blade. It was followed by the command Humvee, three trucks and Stryker 2.

Alex and the Marines rode silently in the first truck. The other two were filled with ship's crew that had rotated for a little shore leave while in port.

A few undead were seen simply standing around as the convoy moved up the coast road. Alex wondered if they were frozen in place and if they were, would they thaw out in the spring or rot away.

The _Kaiwo Maru_ was lowering its gangway as Stryker 1 pulled alongside and the truck of Marines disembarked to set a perimeter. Once they were in place, Blake waved to Kohta in his gunner's hatch and the rear ramp was dropped.

The rest of the vehicles unloaded and Stryker 2 moved into the overwatch position at the entrance of the port area.

Minister Takagi, Kage and Captain Tsugumo spoke to Captain Tomasa as the crew filed aboard and the families said their goodbyes.

"Alex dear, can you come here please?" Yuriko called out.

The teen looked at Blake who nodded permission. Jogging over she was surprised when the woman reached out and hugged her.

"Now you keep Misa and that little girl safe, do you hear me?" Saya's mother told her as she let go. "We will look forward to seeing you next time we make a visit."

The stunned girl stuttered slightly as she responded, "Uh…well…yes ma'am I will. Thank you for everything."

"The pleasure was all ours I assure you," Yuriko said as her husband walked over.

"My wife is correct, Lance Corporal," the man said as he nodded to her. "You are a strong and determined young woman and we are proud to know you."

"Thank you sir, it is an honor knowing both of you also," she replied with a bow.

She stepped back as Saya and Kohta moved closer to be hugged and to speak. Alex looked around to find Kage, Saeko and Takashi standing next to her.

"Sensei I…" she started as the man waved his hand to her.

"Say nothing more, young one. This is not a goodbye, but only 'until later'. Keep up your practice and I look forward to seeing your progress in the future."

"Thank you for taking care of me," she replied as she bowed low.

He smirked as he looked at his daughter and Takashi. "Take care of everyone and most of all be safe," he said as Saeko hugged him and Takashi shook his hand.

"Be safe yourself, Father," the dark-haired girl replied as he nodded and started to the gangway.

"Single up all lines!" the bosun called as the crew untied the lines and hawsers holding the tall ship to the dock.

Captain Tsugumo, who was now up on the flying bridge, looked up and down the side of his ship as he passed orders to his first officer.

"How are they going to move away from the dock?" Saya asked as they moved closer to the rest of the group. "Don't they need help or something?"

"Ah, I know that one," Alex replied. "The ship has built in underwater thrusters, kind of like little water jets that will push them off. They will use them to maneuver until they have the bow pointed out of the harbor mouth and then she will engage her main engines."

Saya nodded as the bosun called out, "Last call! All ashore that's going ashore!"

Blake and his men moved then, but not to the ship. Instead they moved in between the Onohira group and the gangway. Facing them Blake called out.

"Marines! Form up! Attention!"

Alex's heart swelled as her British friends snapped to and saluted with Andrea on the end next to Edmonds.

"Onohira personal, attention!" Tomasa called out. Those who were not on watch straightened up and returned the honor and held it until Blake called for him men to return, or drop theirs.

"Marines, stand down! Get aboard before the Captain decides to leave the lot of you!" Blake called out as he stepped closer to Alex. "Hey kid, you be careful and remember whose patch you're wearing on your shoulder."

"That I will never forget, Sergeant Major," she replied as tears began to creep down her cheeks.

He nodded and smiled at everyone else before jogging to the gangway where his men were already waiting on the ship's rails.

"You be good Alex!" "See you soon!' several of the others called as the crew started moving the _Maru_ away from the dock.

They watched as the majestic ship slowly moved sideways and then turned in its own length. Once the bow was pointed correctly, the main engines rumbled and the ship quickly slid out the channel and into the sea as Captain Tomasa saluted them. The _Maru_ then turned southward and moved under power as the crew began swarming the rigging in preparation of making sail.

"Let's go!" Tomasa called out. "Doesn't look like we have too much to worry about zed wise, but we still don't need to be hanging around too long."

"Are you going to miss it, Alex-san," Saeko asked as they climbed into the Stryker.

"The sailing?" the girl said as she settled in her seat. "Oh yeah! It's a fantastic feeling to be standing up on the main royal top when she is under full sail and running about thirteen knots."

"Ugg, don't ever think you could get me up there!" Saya said as she frowned at the thought.

"Mi-chan said the same thing," Alex replied. "She never got any higher than the flying bridge on the trip up."

"I think it would be thrilling," Saeko said.

"Next time they're in port I'll see if the captain will let me take you aloft Saeko-san," the redhead said.

"Count me in on that," Takashi said with a chuckle as the convoy's engines started and they headed toward home.

000

 _Zday+203_

Saeko let her eyes drift open. She felt a weight across her belly and looked over to see Takashi snoring gently, the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest soothing to the onna-bugeisha. She smiled and placed a light kiss on his cheek before slowly extricating herself from his grasp.

She had a few minutes quiet time before Takashi would awaken and follow her into the kitchen, so she took advantage by slipping out of the room and stretching her arms on the walk into the great room. To her surprise, Saya had beaten her to the best spot by the fire pit. She seemed intent on staring at the small fire, a look of supreme concentration on her face. Saeko coughed softly, enough to break Saya's reverie.

"Good morning, Saeko-san," Saya said. "I would offer tea, but the water is not yet boiled. I have not lit the fire in the kitchen either."

"Good morning to you, Saya-san," Saeko replied with a nod. "What has you up so early in the morning? Surely nothing of a personal nature between you and Kohta-kun?"

Saya blushed at the oblique insinuation. "No, nothing so dramatic," she said. "I just woke up early because I am working on a problem."

Saeko sat next to Saya and held her hands in front of the fire. She knew once her friend's mind set to a task, the girl would not change her focus until it was finished. "It is terribly cold of late," she remarked.

"That is the root of my problem," Saya replied. "The cold is preventing a lot of the improvements to this base we desperately need. And the worst offender is this house."

Saeko spared a glance about the room, "What makes you say that, Saya-san?"

"This house is, please pardon my crude language, a resource hog. It takes a tremendous amount of energy to keep it warm and to heat the bath. The amount of wood and coal we burn on a daily basis is not sustainable in the long or even medium term. I calculated that, at our present rate of consumption, we will run out of wood before the winter is even half over. Coal will last until spring, but then we're done there, too. Well, without major resupply that is."

"Have you worked on any possible solutions?"

"I spoke to Sergeant Philips about it yesterday. When I brought up my concerns, he told me the only thing he could think of was…how did he put it in English? Oh yes. 'Gut the house and remodel with better insulation'." Saya finished with air-quotes.

Saeko let out a long, low whistle. "That was his _best_ solution?"

"That was his _only_ solution," Saya replied, the irritation evident in her voice. "He did a thorough inspection of this house and noted that the only room insulated against the cold was the bath. Every other room, as I am certain you have noticed, is all shoji and wood panel."

"I mean no offence to Sergeant Philips, but we Japanese have been using houses like this one throughout our history." Saeko said. "Can we not hang quilts?"

"A temporary solution at best," Saya responded. "But that still does not solve the problem of bathing or heating. Most of the heat simply radiates away into the house to leach through the walls."

Saeko shook her head. "I must apologize for I have no head for this sort of conundrum."

Saya smiled and laid her hand on Saeko's shoulder, "I appreciate you sitting here with me all the same. It is always comforting to know I'm not alone."

"Sergeant Phillips thinks we can pipe gas," a voice wafted through the gloom, coming from the direction of the room Saeko shared with Takashi. A shape resolved itself into the man himself as he sat next to Saeko, opposite Saya.

"Gas?" Saya nearly spluttered. "Where do you suppose we are to get gas? And how are we supposed to even get it here?"

Takashi frowned, "That is something he and the Korean woman, Angie Park, are supposedly working on, but I think I have an idea how he wants to make it happen. Hypothetically speaking, of course."

Saya rubbed her temple. "Of course," she muttered. " _Every_ thing is hypothetical right now." She started to chuckle. "It's amazing how comfortable our modern life really was before The End. We never even gave a second thought to all the things we took for granted. Power, warmth, transportation, communications. We just flipped a switch and it happened in an instant."

Saeko took this opportunity to gather Saya into a light hug. "You needn't tackle all these alone, Saya-san. I am certain Sergeant Phillips and Park-san will be most glad to share all their thoughts and more. For now, let us prepare for breakfast. It is best to think on a full stomach."

000

Takashi escorted Saya to the front door, then returned to his place beside Saeko. They shared a deep kiss, hands groping, tongues fighting for dominance. When the kiss broke at last, he stared deep into blue eyes, losing himself in their depths. She, in turn, swam in bright amber, drinking his love.

Takashi was the first to break eye contact, "I could gaze upon you forever, my dearest, but I'm afraid Sergeant Tatsumi would not approve me being late for muster."

"Oh, yes," Saeko smirked. "It would not do for the recruits to miss morning roll."

"Why you -" Takashi was caught mid tickle by Kohta stumbling into the great room.

"Where's my angel?" he asked, scanning the room, though his bleary eyes betrayed the sleep he tried to fight off.

"She wanted to see Sergeant Phillips about some things. What about you? Don't you have armory duty this morning?"

"Change of plans," Kohta said. "Toda-san asked Alex-san to switch with me so I can go to the motor pool and help Paddy and Giba with Stryker 2."

"Paddy-san and Rei have not yet awoken," Saeko said. "You have a few minutes to relax and gather your thoughts for the day."

"Thanks, but I should try and catch up to Saya before I hit the bays," Kohta politely waved off the offer. "I'll grab a bite from the mess hall."

"Can you wait a few?' Takashi said, standing up. "Let me get dressed and I'll follow you over."

000

Alex clambered up the slope of the inner-most ring. She had made this trip several times previously, as evidenced by the makeshift steps carefully cut into the berm. She stood near the crest in the cold dawn, looking over the moat system into the woods that surrounded the base. Winter had left a deep blanket of snow anywhere uncovered by trees. She inhaled deeply. Holding the breath for a short pause, she let the air slip slowly through her lips. The hot, moist air condensed into a thin cloud before dissipating into the stillness of the morning.

It had been an interesting afternoon the day before yesterday. After she and Saeko had their 'session' in the dojo, the pair had gone to the school and spent the rest of the day interacting with the children and teachers. While not official, Rei had become the defacto head-mistress and even the older women that came to the base after the marauder incident deferred to her. Alex would now spend at least three afternoons a week at the school, unless a tactical mission took precedence.

On top of that, she and Misa had moved into one of the new shotgun houses the afternoon the ship left. It was small, not more than ten mats in size even with the kitchenette and potty room. They loved it and had slept soundly there.

She sucked in one more deep breath before heaving it into a tired sigh. Looking back into the compound, she noticed the first stirrings of life as Cookie unlocked the main door to the mess hall. She was expected in the armory that morning and wanted a good breakfast before Toda had her running ragged cleaning, checking inventory and whatever other thing he could not be bothered with.

Alex turned and made her decent into base. She entered the mess and called out to Cookie. "What's on the menu today, Chief?"

Cookie peered out from behind the serving line, "Ah, Lance Corporal. I was thinking pancakes with eggs, now that we have the ingredients, but since I am just getting the griddles hot and seeing as you are my first customer, I can whip up just about anything you want. It will be a few more minutes before my crew arrives."

Alex let a smile creep across her face as she leaned by the sink, "May I order up scrambled egg, hash and some bacon?"

Cookie quirked an eyebrow, "Growing girl like you and that's all you want?"

Alex smiled wider as she reached behind and under the counter. She held up a plate nearly double the size of her head. "Fill 'er up, if you please."

"That's more like it."

000

"Heads Up!" Toda called to Alex as she entered the armory. She reacted in time to catch an assault rifle as it lofted the short distance between her and Toda. She quickly examined the weapon, an AK-74, based on the flash suppressor at the muzzle. Alex flicked the safety to on, dropped the magazine to the work bench and threw the bolt open several times to clear the breech. Satisfied the weapon was safe; she peered into the firing mechanism. "This weapon is filthy," Alex said after a cursory inspection. "When, if ever, was the last time someone cleaned this thing?"

Toda smirked, "Today. That is your job, Lance Corporal. We picked up a crate full on our way here."

Alex gaped at Toda, "Where would you pick up even one of these things, let alone a crate?"

"Ambush on the way out of Tokyo. Bunch of gangsters had these, some cheap pistols and a few RPG-7s. If the grenade had armed, it might have killed the lead Stryker. Kohta took care of the RPG gunner's with the .50."

Alex let out a low whistle. She turned the weapon over in her hand, feeling the heft of it. She noted the Cyrillic script stamped on the receiver. "Russian built, I think. This thing will out-last us all. Needs some TLC, but she'll give years of good service."

"Get to it, Lance Corporal. She's your baby today."

Alex let her mouth fall open. "You are issuing this to me?"

Toda laughed aloud, "God no, girl. We aren't issuing these to anyone. We have the guns, but not a lot of ammo to go with 'em. We're just keeping them out of the hands of the bad guys. The Captain is thinking of shipping these down to Okinawa. The Americans say they have some ammo stocks, it uses an off-size round. Plus can you even shoot a rifle? I haven't had time to check you out on your pistol yet either."

Alex ran her lip out in a pout, "Boo. I wanted this one. She's smexy, and yes sir I can shoot pistol and rifle. My father made sure and the Marines did not put a gun in my hand until they had seen me live fire."

"Matter of taste on the rifle, I guess, and I will be checking your shooting out."

"If I may ask, why bother cleaning them if we are just going to give them away?"

Toda shrugged his shoulders, "Something nice in exchange for everything the Americans have done for us, I guess. Honestly it was a really good thing they left us a semi-truck full of ammo and guns after the marauder raid. Don't really know. What I do know is, Captain wants them clean, so hop to it, my girl. I'm going to get coffee."

Alex sighed deeply once again as the old man headed out the door. She caressed the gun one last time before she sat it on the workbench.

000

Rei rolled over and caressed Paddy's cheek. He responded with a kiss to her lips. "Morning honey," he said. "Sleep well?"

"I did, thank you. How did you sleep?"

"Like a wee babe in me mam's arms," he chuckled. "And just as well. I have a lot of wrenching to do on Stryker 2. Giba said it started to choke on low idle and that worries me."

"Will you need assistance?"

"From you? Anytime and twice on Sunday."

They shared a laugh and a few more smooches before reluctantly shedding the warmth of their shared futon. Rei wrapped a heavy robe around her shoulders while Paddy slipped into a knit wool sweater and work pants. They walked hand in hand into the main room where they found Saeko seated by the fire pit.

"Ohayo, Saeko-san," Rei announced their presence.

"Ohayo, you two," Saeko nodded in their direction. "Sleep well?"

"We did," Paddy answered as Rei made her way into the kitchen. "And yourself?"

"I slept quite well…eventually," Saeko let a wicked grin float across her face before resuming her customary composure.

Rei let a snerk escape, "Have you eaten, Saeko-san? I am going to make something here today instead of going to the mess hall."

"I have not. May I impose upon you two, or have you other plans?"

"We would be happy to share with you," Rei called over. "Will eggs and biscuits be enough?"

"That will be perfect, thank you. Paddy-san, join me for tea?" she patted the floor beside her.

Paddy sat in the proffered spot and accepted a cup of tea. "Thank you."

"If I may be…er, indelicate…" Saeko started, but quickly held up her hand. "Please stop me if you feel I am intruding."

Paddy opened his mouth, but was cut off as Rei sat beside him, opposite Saeko. "Our sex life is just fine, battle sister. The stitches have healed nicely and there is no discomfort."

Saeko blushed a deep crimson and turned her head, "I humbly beg your forgiveness. I was merely concerned for the health of my friend."

"No offense taken, Saeko-san," Paddy laughed good-naturedly. "I understand your concerns. I was a bit nervous our first time, too. I can only imagine what Rei was going through."

Rei smiled and took Paddy's hand, "He was so sweet. He kept asking over and over if I was hurting or feeling any discomfort. I finally got fed up and told him if he didn't 'take me' right then, I would never give him another chance."

Saeko hid her laugh behind her hand, but joined the general merriment all the same.

000

Rika woke rested and sated. The weight next to her sifted slightly and a soft snore reminded her that she was not alone that morning. She smiled all to herself. _Silly blondie._ She sat up, leaned in and gave Shizuka a soft kiss on the cheek. Her efforts were rewarded as two hands snaked out of the covers and entwined themselves around Rika's supple frame.

"It's cold, Rika," Shizuka whined softly. "Don't leave me alone."

"Why don't you go bother the Captain, if you're so lonely," Rika chided gently, a warm smile on her face.

"I tried, but he was already asleep when I came to bed."

"So you thought you would just sneak into my futon?"

Shizuka smiled drunkenly, "Rika-chan is so soft and nice to snuggle against." She giggled, bringing a questioning look to Rika's eyes, "And so easy to sneak up on in the middle of the night."

Rika pounced the blonde and smothered her with a deep kiss. Their lips parted shortly thereafter, finding Rika straddling her best friend and lover. "Don't ever change, sweetie. I couldn't bear it."

Shizuka blushed deeply before sniffing the air, "I smell biscuits." Her stomach growled in appreciation, causing Rika to snort.

"I can pretty much always tell what you are thinking," she said with a smile.

"That's why you love me," Shizuka said, standing from the futon. She handed Rika her service jacket before wrapping the futon blanket over her shoulders. She slid the door open and bade Rika exit. "Shall we see who else is up?"

Rika pecked Shizuka on the cheek as she passed.

000

The laughter died out as Rei gazed into the fire. "It would seem I am to have a new assistant at the school again this afternoon." She then fixed Saeko with a sly look, "Am I to assume this was your doing?"

Saeko feigned innocence before focusing an inordinate amount of attention on her tea cup. Rei scowled slightly, "Uh-huh. I figured that was the case. May I ask what your reasons were?"

"I felt it would be an excellent test of Alex's patience and how she deals with stress."

"You put the Tiger of Ikei in a classroom filled with toddlers and elementary aged kids, Saeko-san –"

Saeko waved Rei off, "Oh, not I, battle sister. I only brought the idea up to Rika-san –"

"Who then took your word it would be a brilliant idea," Rika called over. The collective turned to see Rika walk into the main room, the disheveled blonde doctor following close behind. Saeko turned a most unseemly shade of red.

"It was only my intention to train her not to lash out…"

Rei slipped behind Saeko and gently massaged her shoulders before laughing aloud. Rika followed shortly thereafter, leaving a confused Paddy and sleepy Shizuka, who had plopped down behind him and was using him as a backrest, to wonder what just happened.

"Not to worry, Saeko-chan," Rika reassured the sword woman. "I'm not throwing Alex to the wolves unsupervised. There will be others to help and keep an eye out. I'm not letting anything happen without my say so."

"I am beginning to think Alex-san is having an undue influence on this camp," Saeko muttered. "And I am not sure how to feel about that."

Rei stood and returned to the kitchen. She added several more eggs into the mixing bowl before pouring it into a large pan.

000

"Pigs," Angie said, matter-of-factly.

"Pigs?!" Saya exclaimed. She nearly slid off the chair in Tomasa's office while Rika, the captain and Sergeant Phillips stood in various corners.

Angie seated herself on a corner of Tomasa's desk, "Pigs. Think about, Takagi-san. Kilo for kilo, no other critter on earth produces more shit and methane gas than pigs. Animal dung is what most early societies used to burn for cooking and heat."

Saya grimaced and let slip an 'ugh' in displeasure. Angie smiled, "Naturally, we're not using it indoors. We let the shit dry out and then we can shovel it into outdoor boilers."

Shaun laughed aloud, bringing Rika and Tomasa to raise their eyebrows. "Sorry," he apologized. "There is a western saying that when someone is lying to you, we say that person is shoveling shit."

"It's no lie, Sergeant," Angie said, no reaction telling on her face. "I was thinking of your idea for steam heat. We have an ample supply of water and now, with the pigs in the mix, we can boil that water and pipe it wherever we want it. It's crude and certainly ugly to look at, but very effective."

Saya had fallen silent. Before long, a slow smile split her face. She let out a short laugh before bouncing to her feet.

"During our travels south, we worked our way through a small industrial area where we found the swords. I am more than certain we will find what we need to make the boilers and gather the pipes. But," She held up a finger. "I have a few questions."

Angie nodded and turned to Shaun. He merely shrugged his shoulders and nodded.

"First, the gas itself. How do we collect it?"

Angie smiled, "I can work out a way to compress the gas as it comes off the drying pig shit. I know the general theory and I have a, uh, friend in the British Navy who can help me with that."

"Alright. Next, storage. I know we are working on a coal bunker, but dung is dung and attracts all manner of nasty. Where are we keeping all this?"

"I have a plan for a covered pit," Shaun said. "It will necessitate expanding our defensive perimeter, but moving the pile outside the main camp and covering it will keep everything fairly sanitary."

Saya smiled. "It's only a matter of figuring out which way the prevailing winds blow and digging this pit downwind of the camp."

"You are spot on," Shaun said. "We will only add to the pile once the dung is completely dry and ready to burn. Nothing fresh. Maybe even a series of pits with different levels of dried matter."

"And last," Saya said, nodding to Shaun. "Where are we keeping these pigs?"

"I am working with the commander of the Southern Safe Zone," Tomasa spoke at last. "He and I have plans to convert the middle school into a farm of sorts. The playing fields will be perfect to keep hogs and we can use the out buildings to house them in bad weather. Plus anything we design and test here may be usable to them also."

"Ah, that gives me a new question," Saya said. "Transport. It will take fuel to move this dung from the Safe Zone to here. Surely we aren't wasting gas just to move pig crap, are we?"

"Paddy is well ahead of you there, Saya-san," Rika took her turn to speak. "He has been expressing his concern over our dwindling fuel supplies for our vehicles. He is fairly certain he can convert most of the heavy trucks and the Strykers to run on natural gas. In this case, methane from pig dung. He has even talked about us making an ethanol fuel still."

Saya held her chin between thumb and forefinger. She smiled. "That covers just about all my primary concerns. I will do some scouting around and work out the best place to put the dung heap. Sergeant Phillips. Do you think the ground is still soft enough to dig?"

Shaun thought for a moment before answering, "I would rather wait until the thaw, to be honest. The pit I envision is to be quite large, as big as the fuel bladder pit next to the landing field. On top of that, the first thing I want to do is encircle the site with the moat system and that will take about a month based on surveys. As the winter goes on, the ground will freeze even harder and that makes life miserable for diggers. No, I am afraid we are not doing any major earth-moving until spring."

"What about our current fuel usage and supplies?" Saya asked.

"We managed to locate a good stock of coal and wood," Tomasa responded. "That will last us until the thaw. Coal is not as bad a problem as wood is. We will have to have parties of wood cutters working this summer though."

Saya nodded appreciatively, "I want to thank everyone for their input. I'm glad I didn't have to work all this out on my own."

Shaun smiled, "There is a saying in England – I'm certain it comes from a song – " _Walk on, walk on,_ _with hope in your heart. And you'll never walk alone. You'll never walk alone."_

"I am beginning to realize this, Sergeant. Thank you."

"We did find something that can make our lives easier during the project," Rika chimed in again. "While we were scouting for fuel supplies, we happened across a transportation department stock yard. Inside, we found several hundred K-rails and several forklifts to move them around. We can get the K-rails into place now, during the winter while They are frozen and not much of a threat. Once the thaw sets in, your site is already encircled and you can work in relative peace and quiet."

"What is a K-rail?" Saya asked.

"Concrete barrier," Shaun said. "Like you see on the highway between opposing travel lanes and work areas."

"Ah I understand now," the pink-haired girl said.

The occupants of the room shared smiles and nods.

"When can we start?" Tomasa asked.

"Soon as you give the word, sir," Rika replied. "I can have a convoy with trucks ready to roll this afternoon."

"Make it happen, lieutenant."

"Yes, sir," Rika snapped a salute before excusing herself.

"Anything else anyone wants to add?" Tomasa surveyed the remaining occupants. Seeing everyone shake their heads, he added, "Alright, then. I'm sure everyone has somewhere they need to be. You are dismissed. Takagi-san, can you wait a sec?"

Saya nodded and hung back while Shaun and Angie exited, talking excitedly between themselves.

"Can you work with Meteorology today and figure out which way is downwind?"

"I will, Captain. How soon do you need your report?"

"ASAP," Tomasa said.

"Yes, sir," Saya replied with a salute and a smirk.

Tomasa smiled and returned the salute, "Dismissed."

000

Saeko sat seiza in the empty dojo, eyes closed, mind free and empty as she contemplated the nature of the steel reverently placed before her. She meditated on the gentle curve, the razor sharpness of the keen edge. She smiled inwardly at the sound it made as it whistled through the air.

 _And you love the sound it makes when that steel severs undead flesh from bone._

Saeko frowned, _Shinigami-sama. To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected interruption?_

 _I grow restless, Saeko-chan. How many days has it been since we danced our dance of death? Felt cool steel rend the air and send the poor damned souls that walk without life to their final rest?_

Saeko attempted to push Shinigami to the back of her mind, but She was having none of it. _Come come, Saeko-chan. Take up that blade. Find the American girl. You can feel it within her, too. The same dark desires, the same burning passions. You and she share a kindred bond, you sense it the same as I. Take up your blades and satisfy the lust that resides within you both._

 _Shinigami-sama. While I appreciate that you and I are two facets of the same jewel, I cannot allow Alex the free reign so you eloquently counsel. She is not ready -_

 _Bah! What do you know of ready? You have seen her, watched as she struck down those walkers at the beach. You want her. You felt the desire for her building even as you watched. She knows the taste of blood, the sticky wetness as it slicks the skin, the salty tang in the nose. She is every bit a Goddess of Death you are –_

"Enough!" Saeko shouted into the dojo. Instantly, she realized she was not alone. She swiveled her head to let her eyes fall upon Takashi. She lowered her head, "Forgive me my love, such behavior was most unseemly."

The boy settled next to her, "Were it more than the two of us, I would agree, Saeko-chan, but we are alone."

"I felt Her again. She hungers for the blood of the undead. I have worked so hard to keep Her under control."

Takashi gently laid his hand on the girl's shoulder, "Shall we meditate together first, then spar? See if we can sate Her bloodlust even slightly?"

Saeko smiled warmly at him, "I would be honored, koibito."

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow.

EN: 1st posted 7/12/15


	10. Chapter 10

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of a writing friend back in January. GrayWardern2009, an Air Force security man himself, had started the story _Pathfinders_ back in Feb 2013, but had dropped out of sight soon thereafter. A friend contacted us and let us know Gray was killed in a car accident. He said Gray had been excited to be working with us and if we would to please continue the story he started. The rest of this story is dedicated to him.

The original story can be found here: s/8565505/1/Pathfinders

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 10

 _Zday+203_

"Have you worked out that formula, Kinoshita-chan?" Shizuka asked over her desk. Misa scribbled a few more notes into her book before setting the pencil down and rubbing her temple. She then leaned back in the chair and stretched luxuriantly before a satisfying 'pop' announced her full relaxation.

"No, sensei. I am having troubles working out where I can get enough folic acid to make this worthwhile and it's giving me a headache."

The girl was helping the doctor with different things while training. This was on top of her work with Angie, taking care of the baby and Alex, _and_ finishing her regular schooling.

Shizuka tch'ed softly before standing up and stretching her own arms, "Why don't we take a break?" She glanced out the window and noticed the sun sinking to the west. "Have you eaten anything since breakfast?" she asked.

"Ah-chan brought me a sandwich from the mess before she went over to the school. How about you, sensei?"

Shizuka shook her head, "Rika and I were supposed to meet with the captain for lunch, but it would seem like they forgot." She giggled, "And _I'm_ the ditzy blonde." She held out her hand. "Care to accompany an old lady to get something to eat?"

Misa blushed and accepted the proffered hand, "I would be honored, Doctor, and you are not old."

Shizuka cackled with glee. "I still can't get over that," she said between peals of mirth. " _Doctor_ Shizuka Marikawa, M.D. They all laughed at me in med school, you know. Said I would never make it even though I passed my classes in a good position. Well, who showed who?"

"And you were picked by your peers due to your work, not just handed a title. That speaks volumes," the girl said as the blonde glowed.

They made their way up the lane, chatting excitedly about medicines and various procedures. They had just passed the supply building when they noticed Alex and Rika approach from the opposite direction.

"Schweiger-san," Shizuka called out. "Your girlfriend is too cute and very smart. I may have to steal her away from you."

Nearly taken aback, Alex quickly shot a retort back, "That's fine. I'm sure the LT won't mind if I shack up with her. Good luck raising the baby, by the way."

Rika stopped short, "Wait a minute, Lance Corporal. That's not something you just announce out of the blue like that. I see I will have to put my handcuffs to use on you tonight."

Alex stiffened. She shot a quick wink at Rika, "Apologies LT …er, I mean, mistress."

Shizuka let her mouth fall open, "Rika! I thought _I_ was the only one you tied up!?"

Misa, realizing that everyone was in on the joke but her, quickly seized her moment, "Oh no you don't, Minami-san. Alex belongs to me. She wears _my_ collar and mine alone."

Alex sighed, "It's true, LT. While I relish the thought of serving you hand and foot, I already have a mistress and I cannot break that bond."

Rika choked a laugh, "Oh, its fine, Lance Corporal. Boobzilla here is more than enough for this old broad." She turned her attentions to the woman in question, "As for you, my darling. What's the idea eyeing up other women without my permission?"

Shizuka squealed with glee as she started off at a run trying to evade Rika's grasp. Misa took Alex's hand and led her back to their house.

000

Tomasa watched Rika chase Shizuka around the compound from his office above the mess hall. Angie and Shaun shared a laugh while Tomasa pinched the bridge of his nose. "If she wasn't off duty right now, that little spectacle might have landed her in the pokey for a week," he muttered. "Oh, well. Everyone needs their outlets; I just wish theirs was a little more discreet." He returned to his desk and sat heavily into his chair. "Both of those women will send me to an early grave."

Shaun bit his lip in an attempt to restore some decorum. Angie just continued to laugh, infecting the rest of the room's occupants. At last, Tomasa let his guard down and laughed as well. After a time, their laughter died down. Each took a seat and waited for Tomasa to speak.

"Right, first off, thank you both for coming back in this afternoon. I know you had other things you needed to take care of and I appreciate you taking some time."

Angie smiled while Shaun nodded.

"So, here is what we have as of this moment. I sent a scout party into the industrial area where Takagi-san mentioned the column spotted what could be boiler equipment. They reported back that, while small, there are enough heating style boilers and pipe available that we should be able to heat the entire camp. Takagi-san has also let me know where she thinks we can dig the fuel pits. All I need from you two are plans to run steam fittings. We can install these small boilers around the camp to heat three or four smaller buildings each."

"That should be easy enough," Angie said. "I'm no pipe-fitter myself, but if I can put in a requisition down to Okinawa, I can ask my engineer from the _Inscrutable_ to help out with that."

"I'll see if I can get him on the same passage as Mrs. Phillips when Captain Tsugumo returns in a couple of weeks." Tomasa said. "No getting a flight in here with the weather the way it is lately."

"It would be good to have her here," Shaun said. "She is getting along in her pregnancy and I want to be there when she delivers."

"Not a problem," Tomasa replied. "Have you picked out where you want to live yet?"

"Yes," Shaun said. "I have a house staked out across the lane and little down from where Alex and Misa are living. That way we are close enough, but not living on top of each other.

Tomasa nodded, then turned to regard Angie, "What about you? I can't imagine you want to be living in the barracks with my troopers?"

Angie shook her head, "Its fine, Captain. Since it's just me, I can't see taking one of the family homes and I don't want to impose on the commander's house. Besides, I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be stationed up here before I head back to Okinawa. With everything locked down because of the weather, I might have to leave and come back when the thaw starts. Anyway, I actually enjoy bunking down with the troops. Gives me a better idea of what they are going to need."

Tomasa and Shaun both shrugged at that. "Can't fault that logic, sir," Shaun said. "Tomorrow morning, I will do an informal site survey on where to place the boilers. I would rather not have to run a lot of pipe all over camp."

Angie nodded again. "Yep, we want it tight and efficient. Since we can't bury the pipe, we want short runs as much as possible."

Tomasa spared a glance in Angie's direction. "You amaze me, Park-san. You both do. I was to understand you are an electrical engineer?"

"By training, it's my specialty," Angie said. "But, the math is similar and Shaun here makes it easy."

Shaun blushed at the accolades, "I can't take all the credit." He looked at the captain before speaking again. "You have an exceptional unit in this camp, sir. Everyone has skills and hobbies beyond policing and soldiering that has made a world of difference. I am learning far more than I am able to contribute on my own. This really is a team effort."

"The Heavens have truly blessed us," Tomasa replied. "There is not a morning goes by I do not thank my guardian kami, um, guardian angels as westerners understand them."

The room fell silent. Tomasa cleared his throat. "Very good," he said. "Anything else anyone wants to add before we call it a night?"

000

Alice, Masahiko and Zeke were knee deep in a raging snowball fight when a voice called out to them. They turned to see Saya and Kohta approaching, waving and calling them over. Alice took the opportunity to bean Masahiko with one last snowball before scampering off in the direction of the teens. Masahiko, seeing his chance, flung a snowball at her retreating form, only to miss wide and high, plastering snow in the surprised face of the resident pinkette genius. With a roar, she scooped a huge handful and sent it flying back in Masahiko's direction, flattening him. As they got closer, they could hear him laughing like a maniac. "Again!" he shouted. "Do it again!"

"Not tonight, little man," Kohta said as he reached out and helped the little boy up. "It's getting dark and what do we have to do when it gets dark?"

"We have to be quiet and go inside," both children responded dutifully. They dusted off the last of the snow and took off at a run toward the main house.

"Were we ever that young, angel?"

"I don't know about you, hon, but I was born, then I was instantly this old."

Kohta snorted then took Saya's hand and gently kissed her knuckles, "I know I had a lot of growing up to do, but I'm glad I did. It makes my appreciation of you all the sweeter."

Saya flushed a deep red before whacking Kohta lightly on the shoulder. "Flirt. Sweet talk like that will get you the smooching of a lifetime if you keep it up."

Kohta's eyes lit up, "Promise?"

Saya winked seductively then set off at a run after the kids.

"Argh," he ranted softly. "I hate running!"

000

 _Zday+208_

"I'm in the Army now, and not behind the plow," Alex sang to herself as her shovel bit deeper into the hole she was digging out front of her house. "I'll never get rich, diggin' a ditch." She giggled softly at that line as she deposited the fresh soil onto the small heap beside her. "I'm in the Army now."

Misa slid the door open and regarded her girlfriend, "What are you up to _now_ , Ah-chan?"

Alex looked over shoulder and smiled, "Oh, hey there, lollipop."

Misa flushed a deep shade of crimson, "I asked you not to call me that…in public."

Alex giggled then gestured to the wood post leaning against the door frame, "Digging a hole for our new sign post."

"Why do we want a sign post?"

Alex stopped shoveling and thought for a moment, "Call it a long tradition. Troops stationed overseas would often set up a sign post with arrows pointing in different directions with the names of major cities and the approximate distance from the center of camp to wherever home was. Kinda puts things in perspective."

Misa mused on this before she looked at the makeshift post, "How did you get permission for that? And this didn't come out of our fuel stocks, I hope?"

Alex shook her head, "Papa Shaun called it 'treated wood'. Toxic to burn, so I snatched it up and made my sign post."

Misa sighed deeply, "I will never understand the way Americans think."

Alex lay her shovel on the pile of dirt and approached Misa, "Well, now you have me for the rest of our lives and I can teach you."

This was met with a smooch and a hug. "You _do_ have permission, don't you?"

Alex jerked her head back. "This is part of soldiering, Mi-chan. It's almost a camp duty to pull some small shenanigans like this. Besides, it's off the path and not blocking anything, so we shouldn't have any trouble."

"I will, of course, 'throw you under the bus' if you get caught," Misa giggled.

Alex puffed her chest, "No problem. I'll tell 'em 'Kilroy did it'."

"Kilroy?"

Alex pointed to a small picture of what looked like a half circle drawn over a horizontal line, two round eyes and a long nose drooping over the "edge" carved onto one face of the post. Written below it in neat script 'Kilroy was here'. "According to dad, it got started in World War Two. Invasion troops in their landing craft would find that image drawn somewhere on whatever beach-head they stormed saying 'Kilroy was here'. It became something of a running joke. 'Kilroy managed to get everywhere first', or 'Kilroy will beat us all to whatever target'."

"And now, 'Kilroy' is going to back fill that hole before someone trips," the voice sounded out behind Alex. Misa giggled as Alex turned around to see Rika, Tomasa and Tatsumi staring at her.

Alex stiffened and saluted the officers. Misa laughed louder and excused herself back into the house. "Ma'am! Sir! First Sergeant! I, uh, I have no idea…"

Tomasa glared down on the girl before Tatsumi started to laugh. Tomasa and Rika turned to regard their chief enlisted. Tatsumi let his laughter peter out, "Let the girl do it, sir. Like she said, it's not in anyone's way and lets her think of home."

Rika looked thoughtful before shrugging her shoulders and looking at Tomasa, "Sir?"

Tomasa rubbed his temple before he looked to Alex. "The sign post I can see, but what is the meaning of this?" He held up a small plank with the word 'Swamp' scrawled on it.

Alex flushed slightly, "Sorry, sir. That is based on an American TV show."

"I am familiar with M.A.S.H., Lance Corporal," Tomasa said as he handed the sign to Alex. "Make sure it stays put." Tomasa looked to Tatsumi, "First Sergeant. Help the Lance-Corporal get her post up and the hole completely filled. Then, make sure she runs a lap around the inner perimeter ditch before…five push-ups for breach of camp discipline."

Tatsumi smiled then saluted. "Yes, sir."

Alex let her face fall before she reluctantly saluted Tomasa as he and Rika took their leave.

000

Misa stepped into the foyer and slipped into her wellingtons. She hefted her naginata over her shoulder before sliding the door closed behind her. The snow crunched pleasantly underfoot as she tracked a fresh set of footprints toward the dojo leaving Alex and Tatsumi to their work.

"Hello?"

Rei poked her head toward the entrance, "Kinoshita-san, just in time. The others are just getting warmed up. Better hurry."

Misa set the pole-arm into a corner and struggled slightly with her rain boots. Once they were off, she paid her respects to the altar and then to Rei before settling into a stretching routine. She then fell into a line with seven other women, ranging in age from her up to a middle aged policewoman.

Rei called everyone to attention. "Alright class, gather your pads and practice naginata, pair off and spar up through form three. Once that's done, I want to evaluate each of you individually."

Misa paired off with the aforementioned officer, a nice woman she knew as Sonoda. She had an easy manner about her, laughed often and moved gracefully. In many respects, she reminded Misa of an adult version of Alex. Rei had asked this officer to be her co-instructor due to her expertise with the weapon in question and would sometimes defer to her in certain circumstances.

"You are getting much better, Kinoshita-chan," Sonoda said as they completed their routines. "Your focus is excellent and your strikes are dead on."

Misa bowed slightly, still keeping her weapon at the ready. As she did, Sonoda whipped her weapon around, nearly getting past Misa's guard. She laughed as Misa deflected her strike. Sonoda countered Misa's down-stroke with the haft of her weapon and let it slide harmlessly to one side.

"Very good," Sonoda said. "The first time I tried that, I almost had your head. You are learning well."

"I thank you for the compliment," Misa said, sweeping the butt end up, attempting to strike at Sonoda's leg. The officer jumped neatly out of the way, Misa's weapon almost grazing her foot. "I am learning from the best."

"Where did you learn that strike?" Rei called over, ending the sparring match.

Misa bowed to Rei. "Ah-chan calls it 'The Office of Dirty Tricks', senpai."

The three women laughed. "That sounds like her," Rei agreed. "I like her thinking. Sonoda-san?"

"I would tend to agree, Miyamoto-san. It's all well and good to learn the proper forms, but when fighting Them, the only thing that matters in the end is walking away alive and unhurt."

"I agree completely," Rei nodded. "Alright, How about this? Once everyone is competent up through form four, we'll begin open sparring; see what everyone is really capable of."

"If I might suggest," Misa said. "Perhaps we should start cross-training. I have seen first-hand the effectiveness of knowing several unrelated styles."

"Sonoda-san?" Rei asked

"It certainly couldn't hurt. It seems to work well for those without years of formal training, at least. I would like to suggest an empty handed form. Heaven forbid you lose your weapon in a fight."

Rei thought hard, "Striking arts will be useless against Them since they don't feel pain. It will have to be a grappling form, especially one that trains in how to get _out_ of grapples."

"It is not the undead I worry about. I can ask Jensen-san if she is willing to show us a few things," Misa volunteered. "She is quite proficient. I watched her go up against the British Marines and more than hold her own."

"That is as good a recommendation as any I've heard," Sonoda said. "Though she is down in Okinawa, yes?"

Misa let her face fall. "I forgot about that. We are so used to having her around."

Rei clapped her hands once. "We are not to that point yet," she said. "We are just learning form three. Once everyone has started form four, we can see if Jensen-san is willing to come up here for a few weeks to show us some basic moves. Plus Kimura-san is here now and I am sure he will be willing to help."

Sonoda and Misa both nodded. "Right, then," Rei said. "I have taken enough of your sparring time. Get back to it."

000

Saeko opened the door to the dojo in time to see Rei putting away the last of her practice equipment. "Good afternoon, battle-sister," she called out to the ginger.

"Saeko-san. Join me for a bit of sparring?" she held a practice spear into view.

Saeko let her eyebrow climb her head. "You've been speaking to Alex-san, I see."

"Nope, Kinoshita-chan. She brought up some excellent points during practice this morning about cross-training. I am eager to see if there is any validity to that."

Saeko smiled. "I am just as eager. Alex-san still owes me a re-match and I am anxious to practice against someone not familiar with my blade or blade-style. Give me a few minutes to prepare?"

Rei smiled and put her practice pads on. Saeko changed into her workout gear and donned her pads as well. The pair paid respects to each other, then to the dojo altar.

The sun set into the west as the girls sat on the floor, back to back and panting heavily.

"I must congratulate you, Rei. Your skill with the spear rivals my skill with the sword."

Rei chuckled, "You honor me, Saeko. I was certain I had you on numerous occasions, but your excellent blade work deflected me at every turn."

Saeko laughed breezily, "You _did_ nearly have me on several occasions. I admit I was almost worried I would lose."

" _Almost_ worried?" Rei chided gently. "The resident onna-bugeisha worried about a spear-wielder? If your father were to hear that, you would never set foot outside this dojo again."

Saeko shared in the laugh. It felt good to relax in this manner, to simply be a teenager. While she relished the thrill of combat and the calm of meditating, she envied the other teens in the compound who seemed to enjoy just living for its own sake.

The laughter died down and Saeko felt Rei stand up. She turned to see the girl offering her hand. She took it with gratitude and hugged Rei. "Thank you."

"Um, for what?" Rei said, uncertain whether to hug back. She erred on the side of caution and returned the gesture.

"For understanding," Saeko said. "Even just a little bit about who and what I am. For being there for me as a girl friend."

Rei smiled. "There is nowhere else I would rather be, Saeko."

000

"Just a minute," Shaun called out in answer to the polite knock. He slid the door open. A young former police officer he did not recognize stood on his stoop. Immediately, the officer froze, uncertain what to do or say to the blonde British soldier.

"Disu kom foa yuu," the cop struggled to say in English as he handed over a slip of paper.

"Arigatou," Shaun replied in Japanese, putting the cop at ease. "Thank you for delivering this."

The officer excused himself leaving Shaun to stand on his stoop. He read the note given and let a whoop for joy. He jumped back into his foyer and tied his boots on before grabbing his jacket.

"What the devil is this?" he mumbled, surveying Alex's makeshift street sign. He took a few moments to read the names of cities written in neat stenciling on each rough plank. "Santa Monica, California, USA 5,547 miles," he read off the top most plank. "That girl needs more hobbies." He approached the door and knocked twice, as was custom in Japan.

"Papa Shaun," Misa greeted as she slid open the door. "Do come in. I can have tea ready in a few minutes."

"Thank you," Shaun said as he sat on the offered stool to unlace his boots. "Is Alex in? I have news I want you both to hear."

"Ah-chan is off running a lap around the perimeter," Misa giggled. "Then she has to do push-ups. The captain caught her putting up the sign post out front."

"I rather figured that was her handiwork," Shaun chuckled. He followed Misa into the main room. "Well, no matter. I can wait here in the meantime. How are things?" Misa cocked her head. Shaun scratched his temple. "I mean, how are things working out here? For you two?"

"Ah," Misa said. "Actually, things are very good, overall. Nothing like what we experienced back on Ikei. Everyone is so kind and understanding. As long as we do what needs to be done around here, no one seems to care that Ah-chan and I are living together."

The pair turned to the door as it slid open. "Tadaima," Alex called out. "I'm home."

"We're in here," Misa responded. "Do you want tea?"

"We?" Alex asked, rounding the corner out of the kitchenette into the main room. "Ah, Papa. How nice to see you." She leaned in and gave Shaun a light peck on the cheek. She then settled onto the floor next to Misa and gave the girl a deep hug. "I would love some tea, thanks. It was cold running the moats."

Shaun cleared his throat as Misa poured tea, "Good news, everyone. Asuka is due in on the _Kaiwo_ in about ten days to two weeks," he held the slip of paper into view. "May I impose upon you to help me get our place in order?"

Alex squeed with glee, "Yes! I would love to help out!"

Misa said, "When would you like us to start?"

"The day before the ship comes into port," Shaun replied. "The house is not all that big and will not take long, but may be at least a day before civilians will debark. Supplies and rotating staff will take precedence. We can gather and stockpile things we need between now and then."

"I doubt it will be that long," Alex mused. "I wonder if I can convince the LT to put me back on the rotation for escort duty, at least for this."

"Let me talk to her for you," Shaun said. "No disrespect to you, but it may carry more weight if I ask on your behalf."

"Okay," Alex said.

000

"I have no problem with that, Sergeant," Rika said. "She is showing improvement, plus I get reports from Saeko-san that her meditation training is progressing nicely. This will be a good test for her."

"On her behalf, I thank you, Leftenant."

Rika smirked, "She put you up to this, didn't she? I know how crafty that girl is."

"It was her idea…"

"Uh, huh," Rika said. "Still, I was looking for a soft re-entry for her and escort duty for your wife and the others is a good opportunity to get her back on her feet again. Plus, there are only so many weapons and trucks I can have her service and it is a waste of her talents to leave her on guard duty."

Shaun shared in the laugh, "I'll make sure she understands the gravity of this responsibility," he said, turning serious.

Rika walked up and lay her hand on his shoulder, "You really care for her, don't you?"

"Like she was my own," he replied.

"I'll put her on the rotation once we have confirmation the _Kaiwo_ is nearing port. Pair her off with one of Saeko-chan's head students."

"Thank you, Leftenant," Shaun said as he snapped a salute.

Rika returned the salute, "Dismissed sergeant."

000

 _Zday+209_

Alex stretched, struggling to awaken. She stumbled out of the futon and staggered to the toilet.

Coming back to get dressed, she found Misa getting Megumi ready for the day.

"What are you doing today?" the smaller girl asked.

"Busy work around the base since I have been on moat patrol the last few days," Alex replied. "What about you?"

"I am meeting with Angie to set our work schedule," Misa said as she held out the baby for Alex to take.

"Come on you little poopy butt, I bet your boyfriend is waiting on you," Alex said as she picked up the child, who cooed and squirmed in anticipation of leaving. "See you tonight if not sooner," the red-head told her lover as she gave her a quick kiss goodbye.

Alex exited the house and walked up the path towards the main street. There were currently ten of the little buildings on this small lane, five on each side, facing the path. One of the Apache pilots that visited once in a while, told them they were called 'shotgun' houses in the American deep-south, because you could stand in the front door and fire a shotgun down the middle clearing the whole building.

 _Fuck its cold,_ Alex muttered under her breath. _I don't know which is worse in this country. The heat and humidity of summer or the freezing snow…_

The girl turned left and walked down past the mess hall, supply building and med clinic all on her right with the commander's house compound on her left. The next buildings past the med clinic was the public bath house, male and female barracks, temporary jail and then a brick building that was being used for the school. The refugee barracks came after that, before an open area and the south moats.

Alex climbed onto the porch and stomped the snow from her feet before going inside. There she stopped in the entrance way, not wanting to take off the boots she had just put on.

"There you are," Rei said as she walked over to take Megumi from the girl. "Someone has been upset that she was not here yet!"

"Gumi! Gumi! Gumi!" a chubby little boy cried out as he tried to waddle away from his keeper, Alice.

"Oh no you don't!" the older child exclaimed. "Let her get her coat off first, Ju-Ju!"

Ju-Ju bounced up and down with excitement as he waited for his 'girlfriend'. The little boy was a year old and just started standing and walking a couple of weeks ago. His mother, who was due with a second baby any day, handled the littlest children while Rei and a couple of others taught the older. All total there were about fifteen between the ages of six months to six years. Alice and Masahiko helped out where they could since they were two of the oldest at ten. The few young teens that had been with the marauder group had moved south to the safe zone. It had been decide they were not ready for life on the front yet.

Alex removed Megumi's snow suit while Rei held her. Once done, Rei put her down and the child scurried across the floor on her hands and knees to tackle Ju-Ju, who cackled with glee.

The two teens laughed and Alex said, "Well that will keep her occupied till nap time!"

"It's so funny how they act around each other," Rei said as she watched the pair. "I guess they will be true childhood friends later on." Turning back to the other girl, she spoke again, "Are you working around the base today?"

Alex nodded, "Yeah, not sure at what yet. Speaking of, I need to go look at the duty roster and see who is bossing me around today."

Rei laughed as the Amazon headed out.

Looking in the mess hall, Alex saw she was to help Toda and Kohta again in the armory after breakfast. She quickly got herself a plate of food and settled down with Takashi and a couple of the other troopers who were about half finished.

"You going out?" she asked as she noticed Takashi and the others had on com units.

"Mid-day patrol of the ditches," the dark-haired boy replied. "Rika and a crew went out north towards Honne Cape. They took one of the new Shizuka class Humvees to test out."

Alex snorted, as the others chuckled. The 'Shizuka class' Humvee was just a normal Hummer with a special zombie/cow catcher on the front that Paddy had designed and built. It was a wedge made out of angled iron and welded together in a point that would hit the undead and shove them out of the way instead of under the tires. It was named for Shizuka since she was known for breaking a Humvee killing undead.

"Hope it works like Paddy wants it too," Alex replied. "Sure will make a difference in moving around the cities with all the crowds still roaming."

Giba stood at the entrance and caught Takashi's attention, waving his hand in a circle over his head "We're up. See you later," Takashi said as he and the other troopers got up and headed out.

Alex quickly finished and left herself. Walking towards the armory, she saw Rika's group coming back in the gate. _That was kind of quick,_ she thought as she headed toward them. Then it struck her that there was another Humvee and an up-armored civilian bus with them.

As she got closer she waited until everyone dismounted and started bite checks. Walking over to the Lieutenant she said, "You're back kinda early aren't you?"

Rika nodded, "Found this group coming south along the coast road. They had no idea there was even a base down this way and was just headed south trying to get to a warmer climate."

"Who are they?" the girl asked as she looked them over and pointed out the uniformed troops.

"US Air Force security unit, a _Pathfinder*_ unit to be exact," the older woman told her. "They've been collecting survivors the last several months and taking care of them while trying to find a safe place to go."

Rika stopped talking when she realized Alex had stopped listening to her. In fact the younger girl was staring at a woman that had gotten off the bus and was helping a couple of older people.

"Ma…Mama?" the girl whimpered as she slowly walked toward the woman. "MAMA!" she screamed as she began to run.

The woman, five foot three with ginger hair in a French braid to her waist, turned toward the scream and froze where she stood for a moment before she cried out herself. "Yukari!? Oh, Yukarin my baby! You're alive! Oh my god you're alive!"

The big girl grabbed her mother and pulled her close as the woman started to cry. They both fell to their knees crying, all the while hugging each other.

"I guess we did a good, huh?" the leader of the Pathfinder unit, a big Senior Airman, asked Rika.

Rika nodded, "Looks like it, Chief. Excuse me. I think I will go meet my Marine's mother."

The man nodded as Rika walked over to the crying pair. After waiting for a moment she reached down and touched Alex on the shoulder.

"Lance Corporal? Want to introduce me?" she asked.

The girl got up and helped the woman stand. Putting her arm around the smaller woman's shoulders she beamed a smile at Rika, "Rika – er, Lieutenant. Please let me introduce you to my mother, Seiko Kobayakawa-Schweiger."

Rika bowed politely, "Welcome to FPB Onohira, Schweiger-san."

"Thank you," the woman said as she bowed in return. "I always hoped Yukari survived, but I had no way to confirm it. I tried to get to her school, but…"

"Yukari?" Rika asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My middle name," Alex explained. "Mom's always called me that."

"I see," Rika said with a smirk. "Well then _Yukari_ , take your mother to the mess hall and get her fed. After that you can use the bath in the main house for her to clean up. Oh, and you may stand down for the rest of the day. I'll tell Toda-san."

"Aye-aye LT," the girl replied as she snapped to and saluted. "Come on, Mom; let's go get you some breakfast."

After they got a short way away from Rika the girl's mother turned toward her, "Yukari? That woman, ah the Lieutenant called you Lance Corporal?"

Alex smiled and nodded, "Yeah it's a long story, but due to some things that happened I got adopted by the British Royal Marines Embassy Unit. We met the day after the outbreak and have kept running into each other ever since. A month or so ago I was admitted as an honorary Lance Corporal and we were serving aboard the _JMSDF_ _Kaiwo Maru_ , a four masted sailing ship."

Seiko laughed, "Oh my! Just like your father! Though I would have thought it would be the army instead!"

Alex returned the laugh, "Yeah well, currently I'm detached to work here at Onohira with JSDF Ground. Really they are more former police and a SWAT type unit than actual infantry though."

Seiko grabbed her daughter in a deep embrace once again, "I was so afraid I had lost you, Yukarin. When everything ended, I feared the worst. I left work at the middle school and tried getting to your grandmother's..."

Alex listened to Seiko trail off as they walked slowly toward the mess hall. Seiko wiped a tear away. "They're gone, honey. Mom, your aunt Miyuki..."

Alex felt her stomach sink. "What about Maki-chan?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"I had to..." Seiko broke off and buried her face in Alex's chest. The heaving of shoulders told Alex everything she needed to know. The woman in her arms was the last blood relation she had in the world.

They stood in the snow a few minutes while Seiko cried herself out. Her mother's growling stomach alerted the girl that food was the order of the moment.

"How did you fall in with the Air Force?" Alex asked as she handed a plate of diced cabbage and hot mashed potatoes to her mother.

"That is a bit of a story," her mother said as they sat down.

* * *

A/N: Next chapter we will delve into Seiko's story for a while.

Please remember to Review, Favorite and Follow!

EN: 1st posted 7/20/15


	11. Chapter 11

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 11 – Seiko's Story

 _Zday+7_

The figure moved quietly along the lane, careful to avoid stepping on anything that would make noise. She had been on the move for a few days, trying desperately to get out of town and away from the walking corpses that seemed to infest every turn.

Seiko Schweiger had hidden in the attic of her family home for six days before coming down needing food and water. After the sorrowful duty of dispatching several family members, she decided it was time to hit the road.

"Okay, Sei-chan, you can do this," she whispered to herself. "Just keep thinking. One more block. One more block and you'll be out of town before you know it. If only James were here…"

She shook her head and set her eyes firmly on her next goal. The end of the block was only a few meters away with none of Them in sight. The high walls lining the street were a mixed blessing. While they kept her hidden from view, they blocked her line of vision and made navigating the narrow streets dangerous.

Seiko hefted the baseball bat over her shoulder, ready to swing it at a moment's notice. The sun was sinking to the west and driving her forward to the next house. It would have to be cleared before the sun went down completely.

 _Oh, Sawa-chan. I miss you, my friend. It's been so hard doing this on my own since your suicide._

She settled on a small, low-slung one-story on a corner. The garden wall kept it hidden from the street, but two gates would be difficult to secure. She ran to the side gate and jammed rocks and other items into the hinges. It wouldn't stop a determined push, but would make enough noise to alert her to impending danger.

She held the bat in front of her like a sword and gingerly pushed on the front door. After a minor effort, it swung open, the squeak of its hinges inducing a cringe in Seiko as she glanced in every direction. She cautiously crept into the foyer and let her eyes adjust to the lack of light.

A pair of legs hanging out the hallway bathroom sent a shiver up Seiko's spine. She nudged at them with her bat and immediately leapt backward awaiting a response. The legs remained motionless. Seiko gathered her pluck and tried once more. Nothing. She closed the front door behind her and entered the house.

The house was very small, likely post-war, and contained only two bedrooms, a kitchen and bath. The main sitting room faced the street with a large glass window. "Too late to worry about it now," she muttered as she pulled the curtains closed.

She wandered into the kitchen to see if any food remained. The EMP a few days earlier had knocked the power out, so she immediately discounted the refrigerator. Rummaging the cabinets yielded precious little except some energy bars and baby food. These went into the gym bag slung over her shoulder.

Seiko glanced into the open recycle bin and noticed a few empty water bottles. "Maybe I should risk a peek in the fridge."

She wrapped a sweat rag over her mouth and nose and opened the reefer door. The powerful smell of fish gone to rot assaulted her olfactory despite the rag. Breathing through her mouth, Seiko peered into the gloom and noticed several more full water bottles. These found their way into her bag as well.

The kitchen rifled as best she could, she made her way to the bedrooms. She chose the room with the smaller window. She searched the closets to make sure no bodies lurked in the dark, then set about heaving the bed against the door.

Confident the bed would keep intruders out for the night; she pulled the blankets off the bed and piled them into a corner, creating a nest of sorts. Here, she fell into a fitful sleep, dreaming up all manner of horrors.

000

 _Zday+8_

The sun shone full and bright into the bedroom, causing Seiko to stir from a less than restful night. Her barricade lay undisturbed, bringing a small measure of comfort. She stood and went through a short stretching routine to work the kinks out of her joints. That finished, she checked the door for sounds of movement on the other side. Satisfied she was alone, she heaved the bed out of the way.

Seiko peered into the hall. She climbed off the bed and made her way into the main room. She sat on the couch and opened a jar of baby food. This she gulped in one go then opened a second. She had finished her third when her improvised alarm went off at the side gate. Seiko jumped to her feet, bat at the ready. She made her way cautiously to the front door, intent on getting out the main gate.

She spared a glance over her shoulder to see one of Them struggling to regain its feet. _Must've crashed into the gate by accident. No time to deal with it._ Seiko pulled her ACU kepi tight to her head and slipped out the front gate, the squeak attracting the attention of the creature now trapped in the front yard as the gate closed.

Seiko peered around the corner and noticed several undead wandering aimlessly up the street toward her. _No going that way._ She glanced to the west, it would take her out of her way slightly, but the lane was clear for several blocks. _Yosh._

Seiko took off at a run, keeping to the center of the street. A few abandoned cars, a child's bicycle and many dead bodies lay strewn about, all posing a hazard to Seiko's pace. Dodging each with the easy grace of a trained gymnast, Seiko managed to clear four blocks. The hills rose up before her, offering a clear view of the devastation behind. Seiko took a few moments to quietly catch her breath.

"Oh Yukarin, wherever you are, I pray you are safe," Seiko whispered to the breeze. It blew cool across her neck, drying the light sweat off her Army PT shirt. She knelt and checked the knots on her Pumas before scanning her route ahead. The hills were only lightly built up, offering more room for maneuver and fewer undead. Unfortunately, it would add to her time getting out of the city. Seiko wanted to go south-west, to the US Army base at Camp Zama.

"Nothing else for it," Seiko took off at a jog into the hills, thinking to cut around the outskirts of town and then circle to the south. She made the outskirts and paused once again to gather her bearings.

 _If I follow this road out, I should make Camp Zama in a few days, weather and Them permitting._ She settled into an easy stroll along the shoulder, swerving in and out of what had been traffic, always careful to avoid getting to close to any cars stopped along the road. She could see plenty of undead inside with no way to get out.

She was making her way toward a small convenience store when the sound of footfalls behind her drew her attention. Ducking behind a car she crouched down and then leaned out to take a peek with her bat at ready. At the corner she saw a man with an old west style rifle and a young girl.

000

Johnathan Zimmerman grit his teeth as he ran, grasping the hand of his thirteen year old niece with one hand, and carrying his prized Winchester 1886 lever action rifle with the other. His clear blue eyes scanned the street in the immediate area, searching for the slightest bit of movement, as he stopped to catch his breath. He glanced over at his niece, Sarah, and grinned, hiding how he actually felt.

 _She's nowhere near as winded as I am_ , John thought. _S_ _o much for being a good role model_. He released her hand and leaned against the retaining wall of some poor sap's home, fighting to catch his breath and listening carefully. _Don't hear any zeds. Maybe I cleared them out earlier and the rest moved on? Wishful thinking,_ he faintly heard metal clanging a block or two away. _That'll draw more if there are any still around_.

Sarah tugged on the sleeve of his faded brown leather jacket, concerned etched in her young features.

John smiled, "I'm fine, Sarah, don't worry about me. Stay close." He whispered, so as not to draw attention, then got up off the wall and took point, shouldering his rifle yet keeping at low-ready as he led the way up the street. He kept to the middle of the road, so as not to be surprised by any zeds that might be lurking in the alleys between the houses. As they reached the next intersection, John spotted some movement out of the corner of his right eye, so he spun and brought up his rifle. He froze before he pulled the trigger, however, upon seeing that the movement he had noticed was another survivor wielding a warped aluminum bat.

 _Survivor? A woman,_ John noted. She stood at about five feet five inches, give or take an inch or two. Athletic build, so it was obvious she took care of herself. _Not many locals have that shade of hair,_ John mused to himself, commenting on the woman's ginger colored locks. John also didn't miss the US Army PT shirt, nor the ACU kepi she wore. The woman froze when she noticed the raised rifle.

John immediately lowered his gun, though he remained on his toes, "Sorry about that, ma'am, you gave me a bit of a scare." The woman narrowed her eyes and John could almost feel the invisible wall go up around her.

He pointed to his head, "I noticed your hat. You know someone in the Army? Oh, um…do you speak English?" The woman hesitated a moment before nodding, then noticed Sarah peeking out from around the corner. John followed her line of sight, then gestured for Sarah to come out, "This is my niece, Sarah. Say hi, Sarah."

The girl waved shyly and took a half-step behind John.

John smiled apologetically, "She, uh, doesn't talk since...you know." He gestured to the abandoned street around them. "My name is John. Mind if I ask your name, ma'am?"

The woman hesitated again, then spoke up, "...Seiko."

"Well, Ms. Seiko, a pleasure to meet a fellow survivor. Do you know someone in the US Army?" John asked again.

"Why do you ask?" Seiko asked cautiously. John noticed her grip tighten slightly on her bat. He also noticed a distinct lack of accent to her English.

"I was in the US Army. Made Staff Sergeant before I...got out," John said, feeling the need to keep his past injuries to himself.

Seiko's expression softened a little, "My husband. He was a Major in the Army. He...passed away."

"I'm sorry to hear that. What was his name?" John asked hesitantly. He glanced around, making sure the area was still clear.

"James. James Schweiger, 1st Infantry," Seiko said.

John's eyes widened, "Major Schweiger? No shit!? I served with him up until my...well, I served with him for a while. Great guy, sorry to hear he's gone, I didn't know about that."

"You knew James?" Seiko said softly.

"Served in his unit for a while in the Sandbox. Had the pleasure of cooking out with him in our down time while on deployment. Listen, we better get moving unless we want to attract attention. Did you have any place in particular you wanted to go?" John asked.

"I'm trying to get to Camp Zama…" Seiko said trailing off when John's expression took on a haunted look.

"Uh, yeah, Camp Zama isn't there anymore, it was overrun. We came from that way," John said softly, tousling Sarah's long hair. The girl put one arm around her uncle's waist and looked down at the cracked street.

"What?" Seiko's tone wavered, her expression crestfallen. "I would have thought they would be able to hold out…"

"Listen. We're heading to the Izu Peninsula. Out of everywhere in mainland Japan, that is the least populated area that I can think of. You're welcome to join us if you want, but we need to get moving," John said.

Seiko, crushed by the news that her destination was no longer a viable option, seriously considered just giving up, like Sawako had. She looked over at the two Americans.

The man, who was looking down the street, perceiving some movement that she couldn't see, stood at just over six feet tall. He wore a brown leather jacket that showed signs of being chewed on in places, over a white t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He wore combat boots, similar to the ones James had worn in the past, so there may be some truth to what he said earlier. He appeared to be in his thirty's and had black hair that showed signs of greying at his temples.

The girl with him, no more that fourteen or fifteen, had black hair that reached down to her shoulder blades and clear blue eyes, same as her uncle. She wore a white one piece dress that reached down to her knees, and a small denim coat over her dress.

 _She's so young,_ Seiko thought sadly, _and he said she doesn't talk._ One thing she noticed, though. Of the two, the man seemed to be out of breath and had already broken a sweat while the girl seemed fine.

"Izu Peninsula, you said?" Seiko asked aloud, almost startling the man.

"Yes, ma'am," The man, John, said politely.

"If it's not a bother, I'll go with you," Seiko said, adjusting her hat.

John smiled, "It's no bother at all. After all, The Major's ghost would probably haunt me if I left you on your own. We better get moving if we want to cover any ground before night falls again. I'll take point."

Seiko nodded with a smirk, falling into step behind John's niece, and noticed that he did not appear to be as in shape as most former soldiers. _Maybe it has to do with why he got out_ , she thought.

As they were already near the outskirts of the town, they followed one of the outlying roads for a few hours until it intersected with a highway, a gas station nestled at the junction. After a moment's pause, John looked back at Seiko.

"How do you feel about stopping here for a break?" John asked. While Seiko could keep going, and knew they should make use of what sunlight was left, noticed the sheen of sweat coating the man's brow. He also seemed paler now than he had earlier.

"Alright," Seiko said, nodding. She didn't miss Sarah's relieved expression either. The girl didn't seem tired, though she seemed worried about her uncle even if she didn't vocalize it.

John slung his rifle over his shoulder and drew a pistol from under his coat. He stepped into the gas station with a slight limp, a limp that Seiko hadn't noticed until now. He cleared the convenience store aisle by aisle, then the restrooms.

"Wait here with Sarah, please," John said before stepping into the employee's section behind the check-out register. Seiko looked around the store for a moment, then outside at the steadily darkening street. A muffled crash quickly brought her attention back to the closed door, though. Sarah held both hands over her mouth as she started trembling. The door opened slowly and John stepped out, wiping his face with a wash cloth he must have found in the back. Seiko caught the slightest glimpse of a pair of feet in the back room before John closed the door behind him.

"All clear," John said, walking over to the door to the store and pulling the mesh shutter down slowly, to minimize noise. He tossed the washcloth onto the counter next to the register and sat down on the stool behind the counter. Seiko cast one more glance around the store, then turned back to see John placing a bottle back into his coat pocket.

"What was that?" Seiko asked.

"Hm? Oh, it's just aspirin," John said casually, patting his pocket. "I've got a bit of a headache, that's all."

Sarah crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"Hey, no sass from you, little girl!" John chuckled. "Go find something to eat, my treat. Bring it to me before you eat it, though. I need to check the expiration date."

Sarah nodded and disappeared down the aisles.

Seiko frowned, "It's not just a headache, is it?"

"No ma'am, it isn't. These days, I tire easier than I used to, but I can still pull my own weight, so don't worry," John said, setting his rifle on the counter, then taking off his black backpack and set it down next to the rifle.

As Seiko was about to call him out, Sarah came back and handed John a package of rice crackers and a handful of energy bars. John stuffed the bars into his bag, then checked the date on the crackers.

"Close," John muttered before handing them back to Sarah, "Eat up. Make sure to only drink water, okay?" Sarah nodded and darted off to the formerly refrigerated section.

"We're going to need to swing west, around, then south if we want to avoid the city around Camp Zama. I would have fled south after seeing the Camp, but there were too many of Them, and I had Sarah to take care of. Promised my sister I'd look after her while they were in Japan," John said softly. "Perfect timing, huh?" He chuckled mirthlessly as he put his head down on the counter, using his arms as a pillow.

Seiko opened her mouth to say something, then noticed he had already fallen asleep. Sarah came back and looked from John to Seiko. She walked around the counter and kissed her uncle's forehead, much like a mother kissing their child goodnight, before sitting next to her uncle, digging into her package of crackers.

Seiko shook her head, then walked through the aisles, collecting any dry goods that were still good. As curious as she was about the guy who claimed to have served with her husband, Seiko figured those questions could wait until tomorrow.

Seiko spent a good part of the remaining daylight searching through the inventory on the shelves. They were obviously not the first group to search the store as most of the food had been taken. Seiko did spend some time looking though the assorted dry-goods and helped herself to a roll of duct-tape, shoe laces, socks, and first-aid items. While of no use against a bite from those– things, Seiko knew that she had to clean and bandage any other wound, lest it turn infectious and cause serious problems. She took a complete first-aid kit, a bottle of rubbing alcohol and some burn salve. All of this went into the gym bag. She wandered around and found a box of self-sealing sandwich bags. She opened the box, fit the alcohol into one and sealed the bag. She then took a few more bags and stuffed them into a side pocket.

She stood and noticed the little girl, Sarah, staring at her. Seiko smiled softly. "I have a daughter…out there, somewhere," she said. "I pray she is okay."

Sarah remained silent. Seiko had the distinct impression the girl was trying to read her soul. _Poor thing,_ she thought. _What a horrible thing for a child to live through._ "Would you like a small sweet?" She dug into her gym bag and produced the last jar of baby food. Applesauce. Seiko held it in the palm of her hand and knelt down to eye level with Sarah. Sarah shook her head slowly then turned on her heel and returned to her uncle's side.

Seiko sighed and returned to her search of the store. Anything of obvious use was long since looted, leaving only odds and ends. She gathered a few peanut bars and stuffed those into her bag. She checked the back door to the convenience store and threw the bolt. That done, she made her way over to the counter and sat on the floor against counter, directly beneath John. She let the soft sounds of his breathing lull her to sleep.

000

 _Zday+9_

Morning light gleamed through the front windows of the store as Seiko awoke. Looking around and taking stock on where she was she found Sarah had curled up next to her sometime in the night. Looking up to where John had been sleeping, she found him missing. Easing up quietly, she cat-footed around the counter to find the man standing in the front door.

"Morning," he said silently as she moved closer.

"Ohayo," she replied. "Did you sleep well?"

John nodded, "It would have been better in a nice bed, but beggars can't be choosers."

She smiled, "James used to say things like that all the time. It took several years of marriage before I understood half of what he was talking about."

"The Army'll do that to ya," The man chuckled before he turned his attention back to the street. "Looks pretty clear out there," he told her. "I'm betting we could make some good time before we have to hole up again tonight."

"Agreed" Seiko said. "I'll take point, as they say."

"Yes, ma'am," John chided gently. Seiko smirked at that and lead the group back onto the road.

Their travel lasted about an hour before they came across their first obstacle of the day. A large crowd of zombies milled aimlessly on the road in front of them, blocking their most direct route. To their dismay, the immediate left was blocked with the wreckage of several cars and a transport truck. The way back took them back into town and the way to the right disappeared into a close neighborhood, too many opportunities for ambush.

"What now-" Seiko was cut off as she saw John clutching his chest; Sarah in a panic, clinging to his arm. "John? John!"

Her inadvertent shouting drew the closest of the walking dead toward them. Sarah noticed this and pointed it out to Seiko.

"Help me get him back to the store we just left!" Seiko said.

Sarah shook her head and pointed at her wrist, indicating time. She then ran over to the wreckage, grabbed a small chunk of metal and hurled it with all her strength into the crowd of zombies as those who had peeled off were making their inexorable way closer.

The chunk of sheet metal hit the concrete, banging and clattering the whole way. Seiko and Sarah stood stock still, trying their best to muffle John's wheezing. Seiko noted to her horror that, while Sarah's plan had drawn off most of the approaching zombies, at least three were still intent on investigating their current location.

She gestured to Sarah to remain behind and stay absolutely quiet. She hefted her bat over her shoulder and snuck off a short distance, still close enough to be heard by the approaching predators, but far enough away that the larger force would not hear her…hopefully.

With a silent prayer, she whistled softly. The closest of the three turned in her direction. She took a mighty swing at the lead zombie and sent its head into the stands. Her follow-up was not nearly as powerful, but was enough to stagger her opponent and giver her time to rally her strength for a third swing.

Her efforts we rewarded as the monster tumbled forward, a hunk of automobile frame buried in its head. Seiko stood dazed for a second before realizing John stood in front of her, red faced and panting, but with a re-assuring smile on his face.

"Let's head back to last night's shelter," he jerked his thumb at the horde still milling about on the motorway. "We're not going anywhere today."

Seiko heaved a huge sigh a relief to hear John speaking while upright. She also noticed Sarah smiling brighter than she had in the few days Seiko had known the girl.

"Let's go," she agreed. "And when we get there, you and I are going to have a little chat."

John hung his head slightly, but agreed in the end. Seiko's withering glare brooked no disagreement.

The three of them searched the store in silence, making sure no-one and nothing had taken up residence in their absence. Once they were reassured the place was under their exclusive jurisdiction, Seiko sat John back at the counter and fixed him in place with another harsh glare.

"John, before we go any further I need to know what is wrong with you."

John attempted to open his mouth, but Seiko cut him off. "Don't you dare tell me it's nothing, soldier. I have seen enough to know you are having problems. That little show on the motorway just confirms everything."

John remained silent, staring out the window.

"That might have been heart medicine you took last night," she said. John looked her right in the eye before melting under her gaze. "It was, wasn't it?"

He sighed and hung his head before looking out the window again. "I…I can pull my weight, I promise you, Ms. Seiko."

Seiko frowned and changed her tactics, "Staff Sergeant, this is your Major's wife you are speaking too. I want to know what is wrong before we go any further."

He paled slightly at her words. Taking a deep breath and let it out and said, "Yes, ma'am. I suppose you'll find out sooner or later."

She waited patiently as he gathered his thoughts.

"I didn't just muster out of the unit, ma'am. Truth is, I was discharged on a medical."

"That much I figured out."

"We were on patrol north of Kabul when my Striker hit an IED. I was riding the gunner's hatch and when it went off it flipped us sideways and tossed me clear. I was hit with shrapnel from the blast that punched into my left lung and heart."

She gave a sympathetic wince, well imagining just how painful an injury like that could be. He attempted to lift his shirt, but Seiko stopped him. "I believe you. Go on."

"The Major and his command unit were the ones that got me out, everyone else in the rig… they didn't make it."

He clutched at the left arm of his jacket, pulling the sleeve up. Here, Seiko noted a unit patch tattooed onto his lower arm, along with the words 'Never Forget' and seven names.

"They packed me on a medivac and lifted me to one of the airbases and then on to Rammstein in Germany. I stayed there for two weeks while they worked on me before sending me back to the States. At least that's what they tell me, a lot of it was just a blur of surgery and recuperation. I had no idea if I was going to make it or not."

She laid a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, unable to imagine what sort of agony that must've been. Must've still been, considering now the lack of available medical resources. Every single day was going to be a struggle for John.

"Sometimes I have to take a nitro pill for my heart and the lung causes me to be short of breath if I overdo it. On top of all that my right leg was broken in three places and they had to put pins in, so I have a little limp, again when I get tired." He looked ashamed as he turned toward her, "I'm sorry I tried to hide it from you."

She smiled and patted the hand on his shoulder, "You have nothing to be ashamed of, John. You did your duty then as you are doing now. It's not your fault you were wounded and everything will be fine. We can pace ourselves, only run when we need to. We want to get free of the city eventually, but there is no rush."

He nodded, "I have been so worried about getting Sarah to a safe place, I have been pushing hard. Maybe too hard."

Seiko smiled again, "Well you handle tactical and I'll do the rest. Together we will find a way out of this. For now let's hunker here one more night, then get moving and plan on stopping early tomorrow night in a place we can rest safely. Then we will work out what to do after that."

000

 _Zday+10_

The next day started cool and refreshing, a light breeze blew in off the ocean. Seiko set an easy pace, making sure that John and Sarah could keep up. She had offered to take the lead again, keeping Sarah in the middle with John on drag, where his rifle would be advantageous front and rear. To their relief, the crowd of zombies that blocked their way the day before had thinned somewhat, allowing the trio an opportunity to sneak past, following a salvo of well-placed hunks of metal flung in the other direction.

Their walk had taken them to the outskirts of town, exactly as Seiko had hoped. "We are nearing the edge of town," she said quietly. "There should be fewer walkers around now, but we still need to be cautious." She called a stop at a small family-style restaurant. "This may prove a waste of time, but let's at least see if there is anything edible inside."

John pulled up beside Seiko and looked around. A light sheen of sweat coated his forehead. As soon as he noticed Seiko looking his way, he wiped it off. He rummaged on the street until he found an empty soda can. He dropped a pebble inside and then approached the front entrance. He opened the door and lightly tossed the can down the main aisle.

As it rolled and rattled down the floor, it had the desired effect of attracting the establishment's now deceased clientele.

"At least we know the locals liked it," John half joked. "There's way too many and I don't have that kind of fire-power. Moving on?"

"Agreed," Seiko said, eyeing John's antique rifle. They moved down the road and into an open field. "I've been meaning to ask, John. How did you get that into Japan? Last I heard, civilians were not allowed to own firearms."

"Actually, that's only half true," John said as he eased into a sitting position. "Civilians are allowed to own firearms, but the licensing, regulations and home inspections are so tough that most people don't bother. I was able to import this one as 'deactivated' - non-firing stage prop. Once I got it, it was no big deal to take it to a friend on base and get it working again."

"You illegally modified a weapon?" Seiko asked, her eyes growing large.

"When you put it that way, it makes me sound like a criminal," John waved his hand. "No, I took an antique and repaired it back to working order. Once that was done, I was already half way in the door to getting an ownership license that the government let me keep it. It helps that I am former Army, so they knew I know how to handle it without incident. As long as I didn't take it off the base, they didn't hassle me."

"So, even though you were discharged, you were still working on one of the bases?" Seiko asked.

"Yeah, got a job as a civilian contractor in one of the supply depots at Zama...that's how I knew the base was overrun. When my sister and her daughter, Sarah, were visiting, they stayed on the base with me. That's where it happened..." He glanced over his shoulder to make sure Sarah was still in sight, but out of earshot, then dropped his voice low. "Her mother was caught by one of those monsters. Tore her to shreds right in front of the kid."

Seiko let her jaw drop open in shock and horror. "My God, no wonder..."

John nodded, "She hasn't spoken a word since."

"Such a trauma for a child to see," Seiko whispered as the girl came closer and pulled on her uncle's sleeve.

"What's up, kiddo?" the man asked.

She pointed down the road where they could see another restaurant in the distance.

"She's right, no use in us standing around here," the woman said as she pet the girl on her head. "Let's move on."

Having his breath back, John nodded and waved Seiko forward.

000

 _Zday+95_

It had been three months since Seiko met John and Sarah. In that time they had slowly worked their way west, and then southward around the city trying to get a clear break down toward Izu.

But every time they made three steps forward it seemed they were pushed two steps back.

First it was the undead. The zombies seem to wander back and forth across the city as if they were following some pied piper.

Next they had to worry about marauders. Roving gangs of men, and some women, roamed the streets taking whatever was not tied down. This also led to heated battles between them and the zombies where the undead mostly came out of top.

Weather had not helped either. Torrential rain and storms battered the city and even though it was only early July, there was already a chill in the air.

Seiko climbed the stairs to the roof of the building they were currently holed up in. When they found a good place, they tended to stay a day or two. There she found John looking into the distance with a set of binoculars. "See something?" she asked.

The man nodded, "Military aircraft moving down south of us again."

"Well at least that tells us somebody is down there," the woman said as she leaned against the roof edge.

Over the past few months they had seen cargo aircraft, attack helicopters and fast moving fighter jets, but always in the distance and too far away to try to signal.

"We need to move again," John said. "Supplies are starting to get low and I don't know how much more water the roof tank has got left."

"I wish we could find something that runs," Seiko said. "That EMP destroyed so much, I just don't know what people were thinking setting them off!"

The ex-solider shook his head; he had no answers for her.

"So where next?" she asked.

He pulled out a map an unfolded it. "Let's try for Yokohama again. Maybe the horde has moved west by now."

"A boat would be nice," she replied as she looked on. "At least we could get around Yokosuka and Miura. That would give us a straight shot to Izu across Sagami Bay."

"Best we can hope for I guess," he said.

She knew the younger man was tired. He was doing better with all the exercise they got, but every once in a while it caught up to him and he had to rest several days.

"It's still early so let's go ahead and make our move," she said.

"Yes, ma'am!" he said with a grin.

Seiko smiled. She knew he was teasing her, but to John she would always be the Major's wife.

Going down stairs they found Sarah already packing what few items they had.

"I don't know how she knows what we are going to do before we do," John muttered as Seiko snickered.

"It is simply her way," she replied as she pet the girl on the head and then helped her put a backpack on.

Once outside they made no sounds and walked quietly with Seiko leading. They had gone about ten kilometers and had just crossed under the Tōkaidō Shinkansen line when they heard a roaring noise.

Looks of concern crossed their faces as Seiko and John recognized the sound as a diesel engine like in a truck. Before they could find a place to hide, a sand colored Army Humvee rounded the corner ahead of them.

Seiko froze as the big man on top spotted them and waved his arms out wide as the truck stopped in the street. He lay down the rifle he was carrying and climbed down. Walking toward them he held his hands out to show he was unarmed, but Seiko noticed one of the other people in the Humvee had them covered.

"Hello," he said as he got closer. "I'm Senior Airman Peterson, US Air Force Pathfinders. Do you speak English?"

"Hell yeah!" John said as he stepped forward. "Staff Sergeant John Zimmerman, US Army…retired. This is my Major's wife and my niece. We are damned glad to see you!"

The big man smiled. He had long reddish-brown hair and a full beard. When he showed his teeth, Seiko thought he looked like bear grinning at his prey.

 _I don't know if this is good or bad!_ she thought to herself as the bear like man came closer.

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow.

EN: 1st posted 7/26/15


	12. Chapter 12

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 12 – Seiko's Story

 _Zday+95_

Senior Airman Samuel Peterson grinned at the pair for a minute before he noticed the woman looking at him with fear on her face.

"Ma'am? Is there something wrong?" he asked, smile turning to concern.

"You look like a big-ass grizzly bear," the man with her said as he grinned in return.

"He forgets he's as big as a side of beef and twice as ugly," another solider said as he walked up to them. He was shorter than the first and had a less muscular build. The main feature on his face was what could only be called a handle-bar moustache that curled at the tips to give him a 'Simon LaGree villain' look. "Senior Airman Isaac Tennerman, at your service. Don't mind Kuma here, he's big put a pretty nice guy…well mostly."

"Mostly?" Peterson said as he glared at his partner.

John chuckled as Seiko took a deep breath and let it out.

"I was afraid for a moment you might be marauders," she said.

"No Ma'am! We are serving members of the US Air Force and trying to help survivors as best we can."

"I'm glad to hear that, thank you for your service," she said as she bowed to the pair.

"You got a base somewhere?" John asked as Sarah looked at the men from behind his back.

"We're holed up in a warehouse a few clicks from here," Tennerman said. "It's one of those disaster stations that were supposed to be used in case of emergency. Medical supplies, some fuel and plenty of MRE's."

Sam looked the pair over as Isaac talked to them. The man, looking to be in his mid to late thirties, was in jeans and a leather jacket that showed several bite marks on the sleeves. He was carrying a lever action rifle over his shoulder and had a M9 on his hip. The woman seemed to be in her forties. She wore camo cargo pants with running shoes, a t-shirt with a button-up over it and an ACU kepi on her head. Her weapons were a metal baseball bat and another M9 pistol on her hip.

"We're starting to gather attention," he said as several zeds shuffled out of alleyways. "Let's get to base and then we'll talk."

Though Seiko was still apprehensive, she was glad they no longer had to walk. She noticed there was a bus behind the truck, but they motioned for her to climb into the Humvee. There they met the third member of the scout team, Senior Airman Brian Richardson.

"If all of you are Senior Airmen, who's the boss?" she asked with a smirk as John and Sam climbed on top of the truck.

"Kuma," the other two said in unison. After a chuckle Isaac said, "He holds rank by ten days Ms…?"

"Schweiger," she replied. "Seiko Schweiger."

The man nodded, "Staff said your husband was his Major?"

"Back in Afghanistan," she told him. "It was just a coincidence that we met."

"Do you know where your husband is now?" Brian asked.

"He…is long dead, before all this started," she replied.

"Sorry ma'am, I didn't know," the driver said.

"It's alright," she replied. "That is in the past."

The convoy rolled through the street at a steady pace, the lead Humvee pushing aside the undead that got too close. By late afternoon, they had reached the disaster station. The big Airman nick-named 'Kuma' called out to the gate guard who then whistled at his compatriots. They set up a firing line as the first man rolled the gate back to allow entry. The remaining men then formed a twin column on either side, weapons pointing out as the convoy passed by. Once that was done, the armed unit folded back inside the perimeter before the gate rolled shut behind them.

Seiko helped a couple of children and their minders off the bus before helping Sarah manage John.

"Lot of different uniforms here," John noted once back on solid ground. "Mostly JSDF. Some Air Force. That one's a Marine. The rest look like civvies."

"Welcome to Disaster Relief Station Echo," said the dark-skinned man John identified as the Marine. "I'm US Marine Corporal David Peterson. If you will follow me, I need to do a bite check then I'll take you to where you'll be racking for the night."

"Racking?" one of the refugees asked.

"Ah, sorry," Peterson said. "Sleeping area. We'll get everyone set up in the main hangar over there," he gestured to the large building, its vast doors rolled partly open. The refugees lined up single file, shoulder-to-shoulder while several JSDF troopers took a cursory look. As they reached John, one noticed his chewed up jacket. He smiled and carefully removed it, showing that he was free of bite marks.

"Tanned leather biker jacket," he said a smile. "Best civilian grade body armor on the market."

"They're clean," the lead trooper called over. "Take them to the showers so they may clean up."

"Aye-aye," the Marine said. "If you folks will follow me."

The latest refugees were taken to a large building and shown lockers where they would store their belongings. As they entered the changing rooms, the men were separated from the women and led to their facilities. Sarah, after pausing for a moment, followed Seiko who held her hand as they entered.

"I wish we could offer you folks more hospitality," a female JGSDF trooper apologized. "These places were not exactly built to be homes."

Seiko followed the last of the women into a large shower room. She observed shower-heads hung from the piping that snaked around the upper portion of the wall near the ceiling. She twisted the knob under one head and shrieked as scalding water hit her square in the face.

"Sorry about that," the same trooper called over. "I forgot to warn you. The water is set to hot; this is primarily a disinfecting shower. Once we get you all processed and into your assigned barracks, the water temperature is more amenable."

Seiko made sure Sarah stayed to one side of the scalding hot spray where it was more temperate. After all the girl had been through the woman didn't want her burned also.

Once they had scrubbed off at least the first couple of layers of grime, they were handed bags to store their dirty clothes and issued clean underwear with a set of hospital scrubs and sandals.

Coming out of the shower areas, they met John and walked together over to a barracks building next to the supply depot warehouse.

"How many people are currently here?" Seiko asked the guide.

"With you, thirty-five civilians, eight JGSDF troopers and five members of the US forces," she replied. Arriving in the building she waved her hand down the hallway, "Each room holds up to ten people so you can pretty much take your pick."

John cleared his throat, "Umm, Seiko-san, you can stay with us if you like. To be honest Sarah has gotten really fond of you."

The woman rubbed the girl on her head and nodded. "I am very fond of her also," she replied. "I think it is best if we stick together for now. It is not like we haven't been rooming together these last few months."

The man smiled and nodded as the girl hugged the woman's arm.

"There are laundry facilities in the basement. Soaps and other items are stored and provided down there," the guide told them. "Food services are handled in the main warehouse and at supper this evening there will be an orientation about rules and safety."

The trio nodded and picked a room as the others that came in with them moved down the hall.

"Pile everything you need washed on the table and I will take care of that," Seiko said as they looked around.

"Sarah? Will you help Seiko-san?" John asked as he sat down and changed his sandals for his boots. "I'm going to see if I can talk to that Marine and offer my help in the supply depot."

The teenager nodded and started sorting clothes as he headed out the door.

Walking back into the warehouse, he found Corporal Peterson standing at the roll-up doors with the Air Force personnel. "Excuse me," he said as he walked up. "I'd like to volunteer to help in some way if I can."

Peterson nodded and held out his hand, "Kuma was just telling me you used to be a ground pounder, Staff."

"Well former Staff," John replied as he shook the man's hand.

"You're in the Army now, you're not behind a plow…" they all intoned as John laughed for what felt like the first time in months.

"What was your MOS?" the Marine asked.

"11B Dog Face with a side job of 11M AFV Infantryman, but since I got out I have been working in PX's handling supply and demand."

"I love you already!" Peterson said as the others chuckled. "If you know anything about inventory you know a whole lot more than I do."

Kuma grinned, "Well then, as per standing orders all former duty personal have been re-activated so that makes you…"

"Stop right there, big man," John said with a frown on his face. "I'm glad to help, but there is no way you're going to rope me into taking over here. I'm a firm believer that combat arms should be in command in a situation like this. On top of that I am not physically able. Not only am I an unknown factor to you, I retired on a medical because of my wounds." He took note of the dejected faces that greeted him. "That being said, I will gladly do what I can to help, but if you try to push me into this I will grab my gear and my niece and walk. We made it this long, we can do it again."

The two Peterson's glanced at each other before the Marine nodded to the Senior Airman. Kuma sighed and smiled. "Isaac said you wouldn't go for it, but regs say it had to be done. I appreciate you being honest in passing it up."

"Not a problem," John replied. "I'll keep that Staff rank in reserve if I need get someone to listen, but as far as I'm concerned you guys rank first."

"Well then let's get some coffee and we'll get you up to date on where we are at," the Marine Corporal said.

"Ah Lifer's Juice, it's been a while since I've had a real cup!" John replied.

They all laughed and walked over to an area where a mobile kitchen was set up.

000

"So that's how it is," David said as he finished updating John.

"So, thirty-four civilians, eight JGSDF low rank troopers and five, now six members of the US forces. Honestly I don't know how you have held out for so long," John said.

"JGSDF folks are a good bunch," Isaac said. "They knew they were not prepared for something like this. Heck, most of them were support personnel to begin with, but with our help and some training they have become pretty good zed fighters."

"So this was a JGSDF disaster relief facility. They holed up in here until David came along and then the Pathfinders showed up with some civilians," John stated.

"Pretty much it," Kuma said. "We slip out and try to find more people, bringing back a few once in a while, but we have not run into any more military or police personnel."

"What about what's going on down south?" John asked. "Seiko-san and I saw some choppers and fast movers in the distance down that way."

"We've seen them too, but none of the radios seem to reach," Isaac said. "That might have something to do with the nuke, but I'm not sure."

"Have you thought about heading south?" John asked.

Kuma nodded as he sipped from his cup, "Several times, but right now we think we can help more by finding people 'round here and bringing them in. The bus holds about sixty people and we might be able to cram a few more in. Once we get closer to that number, I want to strike south. Really wish we had more intel though."

"That's where we were going, but without being able to find a working vehicle we didn't want to risk footing it with a young girl and me not able to march well," John replied. "The Major's wife was pretty stubborn about not leaving us behind."

"So what's she like," Kuma asked.

"Solid, strong for her size and like I said, can be stubborn," John said with a grin. "So what's the word on the civilians here?"

"Most made it because they went to ground when shit went down and stayed inside until things cooled off." Isaac said. "Then they snuck around and gathered supplies and stayed hidden until we came along."

"It's mostly older people," Kuma told him. "We don't ask much of them unless they just want to do something. We probably left as many behind as we have gathered in the long run. A lot of them just don't want to leave their homes and go into the unknown." His face darkened, "We have even had a few suicides."

"I can understand that," John said. "After I lost my sister…if it was not for Sarah I might have…" his voice trailed off as he hung his head. The others nodded quietly, understanding.

"But what we have now is a mission," the big Senior Airman said. "And that mission is to get as many as we can out and to a safe location." He looked at his coffee cup for a minute before speaking again, "I think south is the best way and then look for a boat or ship and try to get to the southern islands. Some of them have to have held out."

"Why not find one near here instead?" John asked.

"Tried that," David said. "Same problem as before, nothing runs and our mechanic is at her limit. The only reason the Humvee's run is because they were stored without the batteries connected. Jess was only able to get the bus going because she could see what components let out their smoke and then we ran a pull and replace op."

"Still was a bitch to do," a petite, red-haired, green-eyed woman said as she walked up wiping her hand on a rag. "Airman First Jessica Heartilly," she said as she held out her hand. "Good to meet you, Staff."

"You too, and call me John" he said in return as he took her hand. "I guess you specialized in stuff with wings, huh?"

"C-130's were my birds," she said with a sigh. "Not many of them running around with diesel engines, so it was a bit of a stretch to get the bus running, but not too shabby, if I say so myself."

"I hear that," John chuckled. "Still, I won't laugh if I can get a jumper in a Herky Bird right now."

"That is the general idea around here," Kuma sighed. He took another draw on his coffee then slammed the dregs down in one go. "Mostly we try and keep a low profile. As I'm sure you noticed, this place ain't exactly a fortress. The less noise we make, the safer we can keep it."

"I can take a look around for you, see if my experience in the 'Stan could be of any use."

"We'll take all the help we can get," David said. "I'll set you up with one of the SDF'ers. They can show you around and explain the things we can't."

"Will do," John said. He drank the rest of his coffee then stood to leave. "If y'all will excuse me, I need to see after my niece. Make sure she isn't giving the Major's wife any headaches."

The Air Force folks and Marine laughed as John waved his good-byes. He found himself wandering the perimeter fence in the vague direction of the housing block, checking here and there. _Not good,_ he thought. _This place is like a can of sardines, just waiting for a horde of zombies to push past the wire and start munching away_.

000

 _Zday+185_

Things had gone well for the people in the shelter…too well. While the Pathfinders and other military personal stayed vigilant, a lot of the civilians they had rescued grew lax.

A teenage boy wanting to find his girlfriend snipped a gap in the chain-link fence around the shelter and slipped away one night. While he had the good sense to tie the gap closed with some twine, the problem came in when he returned with said girlfriend.

The pair got jumped as they came through the wire and the girl was bitten. Not only did they run and try to hide in the barracks, they left the gap open and several undead came through behind them.

A few minutes later one of the JGSDF troopers walked up on the undead thinking they were civilians who had stepped out to get some air.

"ZEDS IN THE WIRE!" he shouted as he ran back towards his patrol partner while clutching his shoulder as a fresh bite oozed blood.

"What do we do!?" his partner asked.

"I am going to try and take them down. I only saw three, but there may be more," the bitten trooper said as he handed over his rifle and ammo belt. "You get inside and inform the Corporal. If you see me as one of them…finish me." With that he stepped back and saluted his friend before pulling out a pistol and running back the way he came.

"May you die with honor," his partner said, returning the salute. He then ran toward the main warehouse. "Undead inside the wire!" the surviving trooper called out as he came in the personal door next to the big roll-up. He ran over to where David was sitting in the glass walled office and made his report.

"Go wake up the Staff Sergeant," David ordered. "After that, awaken all the civilians and tell them to get ready to move. You see any undead, shoot first, question later. If you see anybody that has been bitten, _don't hesitate_ ; shoot them. Do you understand me?"

"Yes Corporal!" the man shouted as he ran toward the barracks door.

"Jess! Get up and get ready to roll! Make sure everyone else is up!" the Marine shouted up at the top of some of the six meter tall storage shelves.

"Heard you! Already on it!" the mechanic called back. Early on the girl had cleared off one of the top shelves and made herself a nest surrounded by hanging blankets. Taking her hint, Kuma and the other Pathfinders had made their own on the next level down.

"We're up!" Kuma called out as he stuck his head out. "Jess? You need help with anything?"

"Nope! I'm done! Heads up!" she cried out as two duffle bags plummeted down, held in check by a rope to keep them from hitting the floor too hard. A second later the girl came over the side herself; shimmying down the ladder they had tied to the side.

As soon as they hit the floor, the big airman was giving orders. "Isaac, Brian, you two go check the situation outside…" he paused as they heard the pop of a pistol from the far side of the roll-up door. "Well I guess that answers that. Still need to check it out though. And don't make me remind you to be careful!"

The men headed that way as Jess started cramming gear into the trailer hooked behind their Humvee.

000

John shot up in bed as someone banged on their door. "ZEDS IN THE COMPOUND!" the person shouted. "WE'RE BUGGING OUT!"

"Sarah! Wake up and…" he trailed off as the light came on and he saw the teen was already cramming clothing into their backpacks. The man jumped up and then froze as he realized he was in his skivvies and a T-shirt.

"No time for modesty now, John," Seiko said from her bed across the room as she stood and stripped off the hospital scrubs she slept in. Already in her underwear she tossed on her pants and shirt before sitting back down to lace up her shoes.

John grunted and dressed himself.

They all froze as someone screamed and a pistol roared outside the door.

"Ready," Seiko said as she and Sarah put their packs on. She checked the load in her pistol and John did the same before edging toward the door.

The girl reached out and put her hand on the doorknob as the two adults took aim. Once John nodded she yanked it open and hit the floor, hands covering her ears.

Both pistols barked as a zombified woman moaned and turned to come in. The undead dropped where she stood and lay still.

Ducking his head out and back in, John held up his hand with three fingers extended.

 _Three more,_ Seiko thought as the man went through the door and rapidly popped off three more rounds.

"Clear!" he called out. "Hey! Anyone else alive and unbitten!?" he called out as he stepped over the bodies and into the hall.

"Yes we are alive!" "Here!" several people called out as they opened their doors and waved.

Seiko took Sarah's hand in hers and then followed John. There were six bodies in the hallway; she recognized them as one of the JGSDF troopers, a husband and wife that had been in the room next to them and their teenage son and young daughter. There was another teen girl on the floor that Seiko had never seen before.

"No one else is bitten!? You're sure!?" John called out.

"None here!" "No one!" "Not us!" came the replies.

"Then grab your bags and let's go! Only bring what you can carry!"

Sarah tugged on Seiko's hand before she let go and knelt down to retrieve the M9 pistol the trooper still had his hand. She then rummaged his pockets and pistol belt, pulling out loose rounds and several full magazines.

"Good girl, thinking smart!" the woman praised. "Make sure the gun is on safe and hang on to it." The girl nodded in response as she did as she was told. She hung the pistol belt over her shoulder and slipped the extra rounds into her pack.

"Coming down!" one of the Japanese troopers called from the stairwell in the middle of the floor. "Two officers, ten civilians!"

"Come ahead!" John called back, making sure to keep his weapon at ready.

The other man peeked around the corner first before stepping into the hall and waving the ones behind him forward.

"You cover our rear," John told the troopers. "Everyone else, get in line and follow us. If I call out for you to scatter, do it! I hope the main building is secure, but we don't know that. And be as quiet as you can!"

Everyone nodded; they already had survived this long, they knew the drill.

John went to the main door and he, Seiko and Sarah went through the same routine again. This time though, there was no undead on the other side. As he reached up to knock on the door leading into the main building, someone called out to him from the edge of the building.

"John! Go on in, it's clear!"

"Isaac?" John called back.

"Yeah, Brian and I have your back. Only a few got in, but with all the noise a large group is now pushing on the wire."

"Rodger! Alright, everyone inside!" the man said as Seiko and Sarah crept in the door first.

"Who goes there!?" a female called out as Seiko got inside.

"Seiko and the others from the barracks! Is that you Jessica?"

The mechanic ran over to the older woman, "Glad to see you! Get everyone in. we're secure in here."

A minute later they were all standing in the middle of the main floor facing Kuma.

"Any idea what happened?" John asked.

"Someone got the bright idea to cut the fence. I guess they went out and when they came back either they were bitten or let some zeds in when they did." the big man said.

"I saw a dead teenage girl I did not recognize in the barracks," Seiko told him.

"Well either someone let her in or she got in and must have been infected," he replied.

"I bet it was that Tanaka boy," one of the Japanese troopers said. "He kept going on about he wanted to go back for his girlfriend and how he knew she was still alive."

"How many dead, Staff?" the airman asked.

"One trooper, five civilians," John replied.

"That makes seven total then," Corporal Peterson said. "Another trooper went down outside, the one that sounded the alarm after he was bitten. His partner came in and he is the one that went to the barracks. The problem now is a lot more are pushing the wire and we need to bug out ASAP."

"Jess, what is the status on the Hummers and bus?" Kuma asked.

"Hot to trot and ready to roll," she replied.

"Okay, the bus is out front so we are going to have to roll up the door and bring it in. Once we are loaded we will head straight out; no stopping. We're not going to try to open the gate, just smash it out of the way with the bus," Kuma told them.

"Is there any danger of damaging the bus that way?" Seiko asked.

Jess shook her head, "No, all the important stuff is in its rear. We might break a headlight, but that can be fixed later."

"It will be better if I cut the chains locking the gate," Brian said. "Once we have the bus loaded I'll slip out, do that, then run back inside before we open the door. With the drop latch still down they should not be able to open it. Then there will not be as much resistance when we plow it with the rig."

"We can go out and throw a few grenades at the same time," Isaac said. "Maybe that will draw them off to the side and we won't have so many to run over."

Kuma nodded, "Good plan. Now let's get to work."

After a few minutes of prep, the big door rolled up and the bus was backed inside. Once the door was back down, everyone lent a hand in loading.

Seiko was happy to see this was a highway style bus. This meant it had a toilet in the rear as well as high-backed seats that could be reclined slightly.

The undercarriage cargo doors were raised and larger bags were put inside. Since John, Seiko and Sarah only had backpacks, they stored them in the overheads inside the riding compartment.

With that done, they crammed everything they could into the luggage compartment. Box after box of MRE's, water, medical supplies and other essentials were loaded. Once that was full, they counted heads and filled the empty seats with boxes. Finally they broke cases open and crammed MRE's and water in the overheads and anywhere else they would fit.

"Done!" John called out as the civilians got onboard.

Only having a few rounds left for his Winchester, the man picked up one of the M4 carbines they had on hand. He cleared the breach, checked the ammo load and slammed the bolt home.

He, Seiko and Sarah got on last and closed the door behind them. John sat down behind the driver. Sarah sat next to him holding his Winchester and Seiko sat down across the aisle.

"You ready?" John asked the driver.

"I got this," the trooper replied back, a huge, pie eating grin on his face. "I always wanted to try this."

"Don't get too carried away," John warned. "This ain't a Hollywood movie," he said as he watched Isaac and the other's go out the personal door.

A minute later they heard the thump of hand grenades. Kuma and a JSDF trooper fast rolled the chain that opened the big door. As soon as there was room, Isaac, Brian and David rolled under and ran for their rides.

"Move out!" the big Pathfinder called as he waved for the bus to roll.

The driver poured the fuel on and charged the gate.

"Everybody hold tight!" John called out. "It's going to get bumpy!"

Several women screamed as the bus hit the chain-link gate, slamming it aside. Then the big rig rocked back and forth as it bounced over the undead as it crushed the bodies beneath its wheels.

It was over a few seconds later. The bus steadied down as the command Humvee passed them and the second fell in behind.

John, Seiko and Sarah all leaned back and relaxed, knowing they were finally on their way.

000

 _Zday+195_

It had been ten days since they had broken out of the disaster relief station. Since then they had worked their way southward. After several tries to get to Yokohama, they had given up and worked their way around to the Odawara-Atsugi Road.

It had been a hard run with them spending most nights on the bus. They were able to stop once in a while to throw out garbage, but between unwashed bodies and the bus's toilet, things were starting to get rank.

Looking for a place to stop for a few days had led them to where they were now, looking up at the fortifications of Odawara Castle.

"What do you think?" David asked as they stood on top of the Humvee looking with binoculars.

"Lot of zeds in the upper sections," Kuma replied.

"I've been here plenty of times," one of the troopers said. He pointed down the street toward an entrance on the other side of a bridge, "That gateway leads to a small courtyard like an enclosed parking lot. It has heavy oak and iron doors that would take a cannon or a tank to break through. Inside there is another set of doors that leads to this large open area where they had festivals and there were a few shops."

"Yeah I can see that from here," David said. "Doesn't look like to many zeds in that area."

The trooper nodded, "Past that there is another moat and bridge with another series of gates. I'm betting since there is not a lot of Oni in the big courtyard, those gates are closed, which means the upper sections are locked off."

"Think we can get the bus in there?" Kuma asked.

The man nodded, "It might be tight, but I think so. At least the first gate for sure."

The big airman looked at the Marine who nodded and said, "Okay, let's try this. We'll go in with Humvees first and let the bus hold in the main street. When we are sure we can get access, we bring it into the first enclosure. If it can go further, we proceed, but if not, we clear the area if we can and let people off to walk around. If it's too big of a job, we can at least hold up in the first area for a day or two before moving on."

"Let's do this," Kuma said before relaying the plan to the other by his headset.

"What do you think?" Seiko asked John as he acknowledged receipt of the message while they sat on the bus.

"Sounds good," he replied. "If the second area is as clear as they think, it would give us a lot of room to walk around."

The woman nodded as she watched the first Humvee cross the bridge. The second followed a minute later and they both disappeared inside. A few minutes after that Kuma called for the bus to cross.

The bridge had plenty of room, but the first gate was a tight squeeze. They did get the bus in though, but that was as far as they were going.

John got out as two troopers closed and barred the first set of doors behind them. Looking around he saw the second gate as the rear Humvee crept through with just inches to spare.

John walked over as the two troopers now began to close this gate as well. "What's the word?" he asked.

"The others are going to check the third gate and see if they can clear the area before we do anything else," one told him.

Inside the second set of gates, the lead Humvee moved up to the second bridge that crossed another moat into a third enclosure. They saw that this gate was closed tight.

Looking around, they could see about a dozen walkers shambling their way.

Isaac looked at Kuma and shrugged, "Let's cap them and see if we draw any more attention."

The bear-like man grinned as he put his rifle to his shoulder. "Weapons free!" he called out as he pulled the trigger.

After eliminating those in sight, they waited to see if more would show up. None did, so Kuma gave permission to dismount and inspect the area.

They found a second street access for pedestrians, but it had been blocked off with tall concrete barricade and wooden stakes. After clearing the one building, they let the bus riders in.

"How long are we going to stay?" John asked as he walked up to the others.

"Let's shoot for a couple of days and maybe a full week if we can swing it," Kuma said. "We'll play it by ear after that."

John nodded as he put his arm around Sarah.

000

 _Zday+203_

In all they stayed eight days before it was decided to move on.

"Damn, I wish we could clear this place, it would make a great base," Kuma said as they finished packing the vehicles.

"Give us a platoon with about six fire teams and we could take it," David said. "Oh well, maybe it is something we can think about in the future."

"All done!" John called out as the last of the civilians boarded the bus.

"Move 'em out!" Kuma cried as the lead Humvee crossed the street side bridge and turned south once again.

000

Alex stared at her mother from across the table. Seiko sighed, "That's what ended up happening. Terribly exciting, huh? After that we came on south until we ran into your Lieutenant today."

Seiko continued. "It was only because I wanted to stretch my legs that I even got off the bus here."

Alex crept closer and latched onto Seiko's waist. "I'm glad you did," she whispered. "To think, if you hadn't got off or I hadn't been walking by with the LT right then..."

"I think we will be staying here," Seiko said. She lifted her head and looked at her daughter. "I know I will, at least." She chuckled, even as a single tear escaped her left eye. "I am so glad your father didn't live to see this mess…"

Alex let her head fall to her chest. Seiko saw this and pulled Alex close to gaze into her eyes. "I know you miss him, baby. Believe me, there is not a day goes by I don't wake up feeling the bed next to me before I realize he's gone. But know he's gone to a better place and is watching over us even now."

Alex let go and cried onto Seiko's shoulder. Seiko held Alex close, as though trying to keep her daughter from slipping through her grasp ever again.

"This I know for certain because here we are together again." Seiko felt Alex's heaving slow, then stop. "Now stop that, people are going to stare."

Alex couldn't help but burst into laughter at hearing her mom speak so crudely. "It's all your fault, you know?"

Seiko cocked an eyebrow. "What's all my fault?"

"That I'm such a class clown."

Seiko smiled. "Alas my poor girl, you gotta take the bad with the good. Besides, what's so bad about cutting loose once in a while? I could never be this way growing up, so I'm glad I met your father."

"Then why come back to Japan? Why not stay in Santa Monica?"

"Because I missed your father so much, I had to leave most of the reminders behind."

"Most?" Alex questioned.

Seiko tweaked Alex's nose, "Most. Now then, I'm kinda tired. Can you recommend a good bunk house around here?"

Alex grinned, "I might know a place. Beds are decent, but the atmosphere is right up your alley. Got a good hot bath too."

"Sold," Seiko laughed.

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow.

Also please be sure to read, review and favorite all of mine and MarshalZhukov's stories, which can be found through our profiles. Also check out our community The Four Horsemen of the Dead.

EN: 1st posted 8/2/15


	13. Chapter 13

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 13

 _Zday+209_

"Ah-chan?" the voice called from the lane as Alex escorted her mother to the main house. "Who is that with you?"

Alex turned to regard Misa as she approached. The younger girl came to stop before Alex's mother and bowed in a respectful manner, "Pleased to meet you. My name is Kinoshita Misa."

Seiko bowed in return. "I am Kobayakawa Seiko, Yukari-chan's mother."

Misa straightened up; Alex could see the gears turning in her head. "Okaa-sama!" Misa bowed deeply again. "Please regard me favorably."

Seiko took her turn to look confused. Alex gestured to the main house. "Let's talk inside. I'm sure you have quite a few questions."

"Oh this is so beautiful," Seiko said as they made their way through the main house to the bath.

"Base commander's residence," Alex explained. "We were staying here until a short time ago. We moved to one of the small houses so the commander has room for high ranking guests."

Misa and Seiko entered the bath while Alex ran around and checked the heating fires. The fires stoked, she followed them inside and stripped down.

"Let me wash your back, Mom," she said.

Seiko laughed slightly, "You're able to do that now? You were always so jumpy about bathing when we first moved back to Japan."

"A lot of things have changed," Alex said as she finished and moved over to help Misa with her hair. "I won't say I'm one hundred percent comfortable with it yet, but I have gotten used to being with the others here. Oh that's right, you don't know yet. There are a bunch of others from our school here. Takagi Saya and Busujima Saeko are two who names you might know."

"The politician's daughter and the kendo champion? How on earth did they survive and end up here?"

Alex laughed as she finished with Misa, "Turns out they formed a very strong team the first day and have been influential in setting up this base. Saya-san is our supply officer and Saeko-san teaches sword and oversees the dojo. Their parents are on Okinawa helping the Emperor rebuild the country."

Her mother stared at her stunned for a moment, "The Emperor is alive? I would have never thought so after what we have seen in the city."

"Well there have been some changes, but let's talk about that later," Misa said as she moved to the soaking tub across from where Seiko sat, Alex to her right.

"So, you are Alex's young friend?" Seiko asked after the petite violet-haired girl settled in.

Misa blushed, "More than a _friend_ , I hope."

Alex thought long and carefully about how to broach the subject to her mother. "Mi-chan is…the one…"

"We are together," Misa said, attempting to complete Alex's thought.

"When you say 'together'…" Seiko looked askance at Misa.

"My girlfriend," Alex said in English. "We have taken responsibility for each other."

Seiko sat in stunned silence. "Yu-Yuri?" she stuttered, using the Japanese slang for lesbians.

Misa sank low in the water as Alex regarded her mother, "You say that like it's a bad thing, Mama. I care for Mi-chan and she cares for me and we both look after the baby –"

"Baby?! You have a baby? Oh, Yukarin. What have you been up to since the End?"

"It's not mine-"

Seiko turned hotly to Misa and stared the poor girl completely under water. When she surfaced for air, Seiko continued to glare at her. "I suppose the baby is yours, then."

"It's ours," Alex corrected. "We found the baby after the birth mother died in a small zombie outbreak. We are raising it together."

"We shall talk more of this later, Yukarin," Seiko said, ending the discussion. Sensing the mood, Misa excused herself from the bath. Alex and her mother soaked in silence a few minutes longer. "When did you meet Kinoshita-chan? Was she like that before?"

Alex stared at her mother, "What do mean, 'like that'? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, Yukarin. You are so much like your father," Seiko sighed. "Perhaps _too_ much like him. I had hoped that moving back to Japan would open your eyes to being a proper woman."

"I _am_ a woman, Mother."

Seiko snorted softly. She reached out and gently stroked Alex's cropped hair. Taking the cue, Alex took her mom's hand, "I keep it short because I go out on patrols and I don't want zombies getting a hold of me. I am a Marine after all."

Seiko laughed softly, "And you even sound like James. When did the little girl I gave birth to grow up into her father?"

"I had to grow up, mom. The undead don't care how old you are."

Seiko stared toward the rafters, "Do you sleep with that girl? In the same bed?"

"She's not _that girl_ , mama. Her name is Misa and yes, two people who love each other tend to sleep togeth-"

Alex felt the sting of Seiko's hand across her cheek. "You may have been able to speak in this way to the others, but I am your mother and you _will_ show deference and respect to me. I want you to stop seeing that girl. You will move into my room and stay with me. I need to work on your attitude, I see."

Alex clenched her fist in response, but paused… "Mom, I – "

"That is enough, Yukari. I will hear no more about it. Go and collect your things and return here."

Alex sulked a few moments before reluctantly hauling herself out of the tub. She deliberately took her time drying off and dressing. She then slouched out of the bath. Without really paying attention, she nearly tripped right over Saya as she stood at the door.

"Come see me later," Saya whispered to Alex. "We can talk to the captain."

Alex smiled sadly, but said nothing. She walked out of the main house and into the house she shared with Misa and the baby. As soon as the door slid shut, Alex fell to her knees and pummeled the floor in impotent rage. Seeing this, Misa rushed to her side and wrapped her arms around Alex.

"What's wrong, Ah-chan!?"

Alex seethed a few minutes more before collecting her thoughts in a semi-coherent manner.

"Mom told me I can't see you anymore. I have to move in with her."

Misa fell silent, stunned at the implications. "That's absurd," she said at length. "She can't force you to do anything like that. Besides, you and I have Megumi to look after."

"I don't think that matters to her, hon. Mom has always been uncomfortable around same-sex couples. She won't come out and say so, but I think she thinks there is something wrong with us."

Misa fell silent. "Can we talk to the Lieutenant? There might be something she can do," she finally asked.

Alex chuckled softly, "It won't change mom's attitude and may make things worse for us."

"Then, I propose we show your mother how we are together," Misa said after a short pause. "Let her see us as a loving couple trying to raise Megumi despite everything she thinks about our relationship."

"Could work…" Alex held her thumb and forefinger to her chin.

"At least let me talk to Rika-san. Tell her you have been asked to move with your mother out of your assigned housing…" Misa said.

A quick double tap on the doorframe drew their attention. Misa stood. She opened the door and stepped aside to admit Seiko.

"Yukarin, I am here to help you pack your things."

"I am not leaving my house, mom."

Seiko froze as she heard the statement, "Yukarin, please don't fight me on this. I'm your mother and I think I know a little bit more about what is best for you than you give me credit for."

Alex stood and took Misa in her arms. In a calm and level tone, she repeated; "I am not leaving _my_ _home_ , Mother. Mi-chan and I are a couple. You may not see it – not even want to see it, but you will accept that we care for each other."

"Yukarin, listen –"

"No, Mom! You listen to me!" Alex shouted cutting her mother off. "I made a promise, to Mi-chan, to Asuka nee-chan and Papa Shaun that I would look after Mi-chan and take care of her! Please try to understand, Mama. I don't _just_ love her. I swore my life to her, to keep her safe no matter what."

Seiko slid to her knees dumbfounded, "James…said almost…the same thing…before he left home the last time…" Seiko burst into tears. Immediately, the girls surrounded her with hugs. "I lost my husband to one war…lost my family to this…this…nightmare…" she cried further. "Please God, please! Don't take my little girl away from me too."

"I'm not going anywhere, mom," Alex whispered, sobbing. "You haven't lost me."

"Think of us as a new family," Misa offered hopefully. "Two daughters and a grandchild."

Seiko cried further. Without realizing what had happened, Misa felt Alex's mom slip her arm about her waist and pull her closer.

Sometime later, after they spent their tears, Seiko, Alex and Misa sat on the floor sipping tea. Silence ruled as no one really had the strength to start another conversation. Their tea finished, Misa cleared the settings and returned to Alex's side, a quick peck to the cheek in the offing. Seiko smiled sadly at the display of affection.

"This is real?" She asked finally. "You two are not having me for a laugh, because it's not funny."

Alex heaved a heavy sigh, but Misa cut her off before another fight started. She then turned to Seiko, "I assure you, Okaa-sama. It is quite real. This is not something anyone would make light of."

Seiko chuckled at this, bringing curious looks from the girls. Sighing loudly, she spoke at long last, "I suppose this is no different from when I introduced your father to my family, Yukarin," she said. "That was not pleasant in the least. Were it not for mother's intercession, my father would have disowned me on the spot."

Alex cast a hopeful look at her mother while hugging Misa closer. "That said," Seiko interrupted. "I can see that you two seem to care for each other and have a baby of your own to raise, so I will hold my tongue."

"Thank you, Mom," Alex said, bowing her head slightly.

"Please don't mistake this for acceptance of your lifestyle, Yukarin," Seiko said. "I don't approve of this type of relationship. Girls should be dating boys, not other girls. That said, you are my only child and I love you, more than you could ever know, so I want you to be happy."

Knowing this was as good as she would get, Alex smiled and bowed her head again. "We are happy, mom. Thank you."

"Now, then. I would like to meet this grandchild of mine."

Alex glanced out a window to see Rei approaching, the child in question safely tucked in her arms.

000

Senior Airman Peterson and his team stood at parade rest in front of Captain Tomasa's desk in the command center as the officer read over the report in his hands.

Looking up, Tomasa smiled at the group, "Very well done, everyone! You are a pride to your service and your country."

"The question is what do we do now, sir?" Kuma asked. "I'm sure we need to report in to someone at American forces command at some point."

"Make sure my clerk has all of your service numbers and unit data and I'll take care of it. I will be sending your report along with my own to Allied Joint Forces command on Okinawa as soon as a Comsat comes up. It may be a day or two before we hear back so just relax and get some rest before worrying about what's next. Have you been assigned bunk space yet?"

"No sir, I thought it was best to report in first. We haven't even eaten yet," Kuma replied.

Tomasa nodded, "Go ahead and do that now. I'll get my clerk to set your billets and send someone to inform you."

"Yes sir!" they all chorused.

As they filed out of the room, John held back for a minute.

"Something else you need, Staff Sergeant?" the Captain asked.

"Umm, sorry to bother you, sir, but I have my niece with me. She's only thirteen and I'm the only family she has left, so…"

Tomasa waved his hand out in front of him, "Say no more, I totally understand you want to stay together." He thought for a moment before speaking again, "Go on and eat for now. Afterwards go next door and see Takagi Saya our supply chief. We have a few open rooms at my residence and she will fix you up with a space for you and your niece."

"Thank you, sir!" John said as he snapped to attention and saluted. He turned and went downstairs after Tomasa returned the salute.

Entering the mess hall, he found the Pathfinders and Sarah waiting on him. He got a tray of food and sat down on a chair they left open for him.

"Get your bunk area set up?" David asked.

John nodded, "Yeah I hope so. The Captain said there were open rooms at his quarters and Sarah and I could stay there. I have to go next door and see the quarter master once we're through eating. What about all of you?"

"This place is pretty well organized," Kuma said. "They got temp refugee barracks as well as some for male and female military. We'll be bunking there until we get word on what to do from US command on Okinawa."

They all paused and looked toward Jessica, who was wolfing down her food with a passion.

"Hungry, Jess?" Isaac asked with a smirk.

The woman glared at the man as she finished her fried rice, "This is the best damn food I have put in my mouth since this whole CF started!" She looked over toward the serving line, "I wonder if I can get seconds?"

The others chuckled and shook their heads as they concentrated on their own meals.

000

After eating, John and Sarah walked next door. Before they entered they looked up at the hand painted sign hanging over the door that read in Japanese and English, 'Ohonira Base Supply Depot'. Going in they found a long counter with a pink-haired teenager in pink camo BDU's, standing behind it reading a clipboard. She looked at them with a bored expression over the tops of her glasses and waited for them to speak.

"Um, excuse me," John said. "We're looking for the supply officer Takagi Saya."

"That would be me," the girl replied. "What do you want?"

John was a little shocked at the girl's brusque attitude and the fact the base supply officer was a teenage girl that couldn't be more than seventeen.

The girl waited for a moment, glaring at the man before speaking, "Yes I'm a teenager, _and_ I am Ohonira's chief supply officer." Her eyebrow twitched ominously as she less than delicately dropped the clipboard to the counter-top. "Beside that I'm a genius and the Captain knows how to use his personnel to the best of their abilities. So again, _what_ do you need?"

John stuttered for a second as he recovered, "Ah…um I apologize, ma'am! My name is John Zimmerman and this is my niece Sarah. The Captain told me to see you about a billet where we could stay together. Something about his house?"

Saya brightened up, "Ah, yes he sent me word that you would be coming! Hmm, I can't leave right now because everyone is out to lunch…oh! Just a minute." She stepped around the counter and opened the front door. "Paddy! Come here for a minute!" she called out.

A red-headed young man stopped in the street and then jogged towards her. "What's up, Saya? I was just heading back to work after having lunch with Rei."

The girl moved back behind the counter and waited as the man stomped the snow off his boots and came inside. "The Captain wants these two to stay at the house. I can't leave right now so how about you show them the first room on the right and tell them how things work."

Paddy looked the pair over and then stuck out his hand, "Sean Patrick Flanery, but you can call me Paddy. I'm the motor pool chief here. You must have come in with those Pathfinders."

"Yes that's correct," John replied after introducing himself and Sarah. "You from Boston, Paddy? I can hear it on your tongue."

"Yep," Paddy practically shone with pride. "How about you?"

"Baltimore," John said. "My niece was born in Hagerstown, but my brother and his wife took Sarah and moved to Annapolis to be close to my parents."

"Annapolis?" Paddy perked up at the name. "You Navy?"

"What? Oh, hell no. Third generation Army, son. You?"

"First Gen," Paddy replied. "The rest of my relatives and ancestors as far back as I know were all cops."

"Good man, Paddy," John laughed.

"So how did you get mixed up with the Pathfinders?" Paddy asked as he waved for the pair to follow him.

"Well we had been traveling with my old Major's wife and ran into their group about three months or so back," John told him as they walked across the street and into the gates of a Japanese style compound. "Held out with them until about a month ago when zeds got in the wire and we had to run for it. What was left of the group worked our way south because we kept seeing aircraft flying down this way. We had just gotten to Nawaji, north of Honne Cape when we spotted that modified Humvee flying the Japanese flag. That lieutenant was in the hatch watching us with binoculars so we stopped and made contact with her."

"So did you have any idea there was a safe zone here in the south?" Paddy asked as they arrived at the house.

"No, not at all," John replied as they stepped onto the porch. "All we knew was military aircraft were flying near here so we took a chance we could contact someone if we could get close enough. Otherwise we were going to try to find a boat and sail to Okinawa."

Paddy nodded, "Well we're just a forward patrol base tasked with bringing survivors in and helping them get to the safe zone a few clicks south of here. We're kind of an experiment, but if successful, they will start to build more like this later on."

"How's it going so far?" John asked as Paddy opened the door to an empty room.

"Pretty good overall," the red-head said. "Been a few bumps but nothing too bad. You can use this room. There are already futons with bedding in here and a stock of coal to heat the brazier with. Come on, let me show you the rest."

As they followed Paddy, John was struck over how beautiful the house was. He let out a low whistle. "How old is this place?" he asked.

Paddy hummed as they stopped in the main living area. "I would have to ask Saeko, she's our sword master, but I think she said it is from the Edo era, err…mid 1800's or older."

As they walked out toward the back where Paddy showed them the kitchen and bath, they met Saeko coming from the dojo.

The tall girl looked slightly surprised as she stopped just inside the doorway.

"Oh hey," Paddy said. "Captain decided to let this fellow and his niece stay with us until its decided where they will move on to."

"Greetings and welcome to our home," Saeko said as she bowed politely. "Busujima Saeko, sword instructor for this base."

"U…umm," John stuttered slightly, noticing the katana on her hip, as he and Sarah returned the bow. "John Zimmerman and this is my niece Sarah. Pleased to meet you, Busujima-san."

"How cute!" the teenage girl said as she leaned forward to get a closer look at the younger girl. "How old are you, Sarah-san?"

The girl ducked behind her uncle hiding her red face.

"Sorry," the man said. "She a bit shy of new people and doesn't talk since…well you know… she's thirteen by the way."

Saeko nodded, "I understand. There are many that have had issues since that time." She leaned forward again and smiled politely, "You do not have to worry, Sarah-san, we are all friends here and work together to make this a safe place."

The girl looked out and nodded slightly as John patted her head.

"You headed anywhere special?" Paddy asked.

"The aikido group is practicing now so I thought I would go and get some of Cookie's coffee instead of making my own. Plus I want to check on what the situation is with the new arrivals."

"I need to get back to the motor pool. I've already shown John and Sarah their room and around the house so, I'm not sure what to do with them next."

"I think we should go find out what happened to our traveling companion," the other man said. "Someone said something about her finding her daughter when she arrived, but I'm not sure what happened after."

"Her daughter?" Saeko said puzzled. "I wonder who that might be. If I may ask, what is the lady's name?"

"Seiko Schweiger," he replied. "She was my Major's wife before he died in the Sandbox."

"Alex's mother!?" Paddy almost shouted as Saeko covered her mouth and closed her eyes.

"If so this is a truly great gift," the dark-haired girl said. "I am sure if they have been reunited they will be at Alex and Misa's place. I will go with you if you do not mind. I am eager to meet the woman that produced the Tiger of Ikei!"

More than puzzled, John nodded and then followed to pair back toward the main street.

000

"What's her name?" Seiko asked as she cradled the baby in her lap. She had taken to gently stroking the child's forehead, eliciting coos of content.

"I wanted to name her Tohsaka Rin-" Alex was cut off by a gentle karate chop to the side of her head.

"Aho-ya!" Misa chided, rubbing her hand. "You thought no such thing." She turned to Seiko. " _We_ named the baby Megumi."

Seiko smiled. "Hope. Very appropriate. The birth mother is dead, you say?"

"Yes. Suicide after she was bitten," Alex confirmed. "We found her while on a patrol. Couldn't very well leave her to starve to death, so Mi-chan and I adopted her that day."

Seiko glanced up at Misa. She shifted on her cushion slightly, seeming to disturb the baby. At this, Misa lurched forward a bit, but caught herself as Seiko settled back into a more comfortable position. Seiko smiled at the younger girl and sighed. "I apologize for testing you like that," she said. "I ask your forgiveness. I just had to confirm for myself." She returned the baby to Misa with a nod of her head. "It is very obvious that this baby is yours and I am happy for you."

Misa clutched the child before she stood and placed Megumi into her cradle and covered her against the cold. She gently rocked the baby to sleep before returning to Alex's side.

"So, what happens now, mom?" Alex asked.

"Now, I return to my room in the main house and get ready for dinner and my appointment with your commanding officer," Seiko stood and bowed before excusing herself.

"That went well," Alex quipped as the door slid shut. "Feel up to a late lunch, hon?"

Misa shook her head, "Marikawa-sensei wants to go over some things this evening and I want to be fresh for that, so I will take advantage of Megumi's sleep time to catch a nap myself. Care to keep me warm?"

Alex let a sly grin slid across her face, "Do you even have to ask?"

000

As Seiko started back towards the commander's residence, she saw John and Sarah coming out of the compound's gate with a dark-haired teenager.

"Seiko-san!" John called out as he spotted her.

"John! Sarah!" she called back as she jogged over. Stopping in front of them she hugged Sarah to her as the girl reached out. "I'm sorry! In all the excitement I forgot to find you! I found my daughter!" the woman said.

John laughed as the young girl jumped up and down clapping. "I heard a rumor about that and it was one reason we were coming to find you."

They paused as they realized the dark-haired teen was standing quietly awaiting to be noticed.

"Oh I'm sorry for being rude!" Seiko said, bowing toward the girl. "I am Schweiger Seiko."

The girl smiled and bowed, "Greetings Schweiger-san, I am Busujima Saeko, sword instructor for Onohira Base. I am overjoyed to hear that you have been reunited with Alex-san. She is a dear friend to us and a brave fighter."

Seiko rubbed the back of her neck, "I am surprised at how much she has changed, Busujima-san. To have made it through this and to have become a Royal Marine, it is all a little much to take in at the moment, along with everything else."

"Something wrong?" John asked.

"Ah no, not really," the woman replied. "I'm a bit shocked how much like her father she has become. And I have just learned I have an adopted grandchild!"

"Megumi-chan is a darling baby and we all love her," Saeko said. "She brings joy to the room anytime she is around."

"So are you going to stay with your daughter?" John asked.

"Not at the moment. I will stay at the commander's house for at least a few days until I decided where I go from here," Seiko said.

"That's where we are too," John replied. "The Captain understood Sarah and I need to be together so we will have a room there also."

"Wonderful! Well if you will excuse me, I want to change before eating and my meeting with the Captain," the woman told them.

"I am going to the mess hall myself for coffee," Saeko said. "When you are changed please come and sit with me."

"Thank you I will," the woman said as she jogged off through the compound gate.

"Wow, I'm so happy for her," John said. "I know she always wondered what became of her daughter."

"Would you like to join us also, Zimmerman-san?" the teenager asked.

"Ah, not right now," he said as he glanced down at the widely yawning Sarah. "I think we will go back to our room and get settled in, maybe take a nap before supper. It's been a long day so far."

"As you wish, until later then. Bye-Bye, Sarah-san," Saeko said as she nodded to the pair and headed to the mess.

"Come on, you," the man said as he patted his niece on the head. "I think we can rest easy here for once in a long time."

The silent girl nodded and took his hand as they walked back to the house.

000

"Oh my, such a story!" Seiko said as Saeko told her some of their adventures since the fall of the high school.

"We are very lucky to have come together the way we did," Saeko said. The girl held her hand up as she saw Saya come in the front door.

"Oi, who's this?" the pinkette asked as she walked up.

"Saya-san I would like to introduce Schweiger Seiko, Alex's mother," Saeko said. "Oba-san, this is Takagi Saya our supply officer and classmate."

"I am pleased to meet you," Seiko said as she stood and bowed slightly to the girl.

"Nice to meet you," Saya replied as she nodded to the woman. Looking at Saeko, she said, "Give me a second to get my tray."

"So that is Lord Takagi's daughter?" Seiko asked as the girl stepped to the serving live.

"That is correct, and her husband is our assistant armorer."

"H…husband?" Seiko asked stuttering slightly. "But if you were in school with my daughter doesn't that mean you are only sixteen or seventeen years old?"

"What's that got to do with anything?" Saya asked with a frown as she sat down next to Saeko.

"But you are so young!" Seiko exclaimed. "You have your whole lives ahead of you! How can you be married so young?"

Saeko reached out and touched Saya's hand as she saw the girl's face go red and her about to blow up on the older woman. "Oba-san, surely you must understand that this is a new world and the conventions of the old have passed on. Our parents are well aware of our chosen mates and approve of them."

"You too, Busujima-chan?" the woman asked, shocked. She lowered her head and shook it from side to side. "I am just so confused! I thought we would find a safe place where civilization had been preserved, but everything if so different…"

"You will get used to it," Saya said as she glanced at Saeko. "If you can't…well I don't know what to tell you."

Seiko was a little shocked at the teenager's bluntness, but held her tongue. "I guess I should go and see your Captain now. Please excuse me," she said as she got up and took her tray to the disposal station.

The girls sat quietly for a few minutes after she left before Saya spoke up. "I have a feeling she will have some waking up to do. I heard her and Alex already have a confrontation over Misa. Her way of thinking may not fit in here."

Saeko looked after the woman for a moment and nodded, "It makes me wonder what she will think of Misa-chan."

000

"Captain? Ms. Schweiger to see you," the orderly told the man from the doorway.

"Send her in," Tomasa replied. The woman that entered had ginger hair slightly lighter than Rei-san's. She stood 160 cm tall and had an athletic build. She appeared to be in her early forties.

"Konnichi wa," she said as she bowed before him and introduced herself.

"Captain Tomasa Kaoru at your service," he replied. "I understand you are one of my NCO's mother?"

The woman paused for a moment and then nodded, "That is correct, Captain. I'm sorry…it is taking me some adjusting to think of my Yukari as a solider now."

 _As well as a parent with a same sex lover if what I am hearing is true_ , the man thought. "Please have a seat and let's talk for a while."

She nodded again and sat down across from him.

"How are you finding our camp?" he asked.

"It seems very well laid out," she replied. "Though I was a bit surprised at the age of some of your personal."

"Let me assure you, they are all excellent at what they do. They have proven themselves many times over. We could not have set up this camp without their assistance and dedication to duty," he said.

The woman simply nodded as she clasped her hands in her lap.

"Umm, forgive me for being rude, but I understand you and Alex had some controversy over her billeting arraignments?"

Seiko's eyes widened as she focused on the man, surprised he already knew. "Yes, I did not think it appropriate for her to living with another girl in…well the way they are living."

"So I thought," he said with a sigh. "Schweiger-san, please understand that if the Lance Corporal had done as you wished, I would have had her up before the Captain board for vacating her assigned quarters."

Seiko stared at him for a minute before lowering her eyes, "I see. I assure you Captain, that issue has currently been put to rest."

"Good," he replied. "Also please understand I am not trying to interfere in your relationship with your daughter, but if she intends to move out of their house she needs to come and talk to me directly."

Seiko stood up, "I understand. Will there be anything else, Captain?"

He also stood, "No. I hope your time with us is restful. I will see you another time then."

He sighed as the woman left. He was sure he might have made an enemy of her, but he was not going to tolerate that backwards thinking in his camp.

000

 _Later that evening_

While Misa was tied up with Shizuka, Alex left the baby with Saya and went to the dojo to work out for a while.

"Ah, Alex-san," the voice called over. Alex turned around to find Saeko approaching the dojo. "Good evening."

"Good evening, Sen…er…Saeko-san. Cold tonight."

"Indeed," the sword-woman said. "I am looking forward to a hot bath and warm company. I also understand you will be back on patrol duty?"

"Something like that," Alex said. "I'm on the roster for escort to and from the _Kaiwo Maru_ next time she comes in. I wanted to thank you for all your help in dealing with my, er issues."

"The pleasure was and remains mine," Saeko intoned softly. "It is regretful I will not be able to accompany you. I was looking forward to seeing first-hand the fruits of your training, but I was instructed by Lieutenant Minami to pair you off with one of my other students, so I think Hazakura-san will be a good counterweight."

"Ah, I like him," Alex said. "No disrespect to Toujou-san, she is an excellent fighter, but we're too much alike and, um, yeah."

Saeko laughed softly, "You both are very much fire personality, so it's good to temper your heat with water."

"It's too bad I don't get to practice with him much, tho," Alex said. "I am still not very sure of how we will work together."

"Indeed," Saeko replied. "However, you should get some time before the ship arrives next. I have noticed that you are very adaptable and quick on your feet. Hazakura-san is similar, so just feel each other out at first. Hopefully, with the weather as it is, you should have little trouble with Them."

"Amen, sister."

They parted company as Saeko bid Alex a good night and walked toward the main house.

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow!

EN: 1st posted 8/9/15


	14. Chapter 14

Okay here's the thing, this is the last of the chapters buffer we had built up. Due to RL work and some writers block on both mine and the Marshal's part we do not have chapter 15 ready for posting next week yet. We do have several more chapters in progress, but if we miss an update date or two don't think we've "bunked off' on this as Alex would say. Stay tuned, more to come!

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 14

 _Zday+210_

"So," Rika said, eyeing up the man who called himself John." What is it you do for a living?"

"Well, LT," John said in accented, but passable Japanese. "Ain't much to tell. I was a staff sergeant in the US Army. Got a medical discharge, but had a friend owed me a favor and so I wound up at Camp Zama in civilian service working in logistics. Things went to hell in a hand basket and I ended up here."

"Another Zama man," Rika asked. "Seems there's no end to you folks."

"I'm not following the LT, ma'am."

"Seems we have quite a few personnel and survivors from Zama," Rika replied. "But I'll make the introductions later. Right now, I'm sending your group over to the medical hooch to get everyone looked over. You may not be zombies, but we don't want other diseases floating around this base either."

"Yes ma'am," John said, saluting. "If there is anything I can do to help out, please let me know."

"I could use another logistics person," Rika said. "Our current supplies officer has been kvetching about too much work and not enough down-time."

"Uh, I think I've met her, LT. Pink hair? Feisty?"

Rika smirked. "That's her. Takagi Saya."

"Oh, this is going to be a real fun posting…"

"Try and play nice, Staff," Rika half-asked, half commanded. "I know she can be a handful, but if you at least listen to what she says, she'll be easier to work with. She really is a bit of a genius after all."

"Understood, LT. Anything else I should know?"

"She can be a bit…touchy?" Rika searched for the right word. "However, at heart she is a nice girl, just used to people trying to get close to her as a stepping stone because her father was and is a big wheel in Japanese politics, so she closed herself off. Once you get to know her and let her vent, you'll see she's not that bad at all."

"Ah, okay. I am beginning to see," John said, smirking. "Let her get used to me as I get used to her and then see where it goes, am I reading you right, LT?"

"Five by five, Staff," Rika said. "And speaking of, I know you are former Army and not looking to re-up, but would you consider at least an honorary return to duty? We don't have a lot of senior non-coms and your expertise would be invaluable."

"How about this," he said, smirking. "I will offer my services as your independent advisor, but I can't be on active duty anymore, at least not as a soldier."

"That's fine," Rika said. "We have a couple of retirees helping out in command, but we don't press them anymore that we absolutely have to."

"I think I can agree to that," John offered his hand and was rewarded when Rika took it in a firm grasp.

000

"One moment," Shaun called out in response to the polite knock at his door. He let his face register the confusion at the stranger standing on his stoop. "Yes? May I help you?"

The woman bowed politely then straightened up after a few moments. "Please forgive the sudden intrusion," she said in perfect American accented English. "My name is Seiko Kobayakawa-Schweiger. Do I have the honor of addressing Sergeant Shaun Phillips?"

"Y-yes!" he struggled to collect his thoughts. "Dear me, please do come in!" He stepped aside, allowing Seiko to enter. "I'm afraid I haven't much to offer by way of snacks or refreshment, I have only just started moving in."

Seiko held aloft a small sack, tied neatly with a blue ribbon. "As your guest, I felt it my duty to provide you with something," she said, a warm smile gracing her face. "It would be very rude of me otherwise."

"Ah, in that case, at least let me put the kettle on."

A few minutes of pleasantries passed as they sipped tea. "I wanted to thank you personally for everything you have done," Seiko said, nodding.

"Well, I admit the tea _was_ good, but…" Shaun scratched at the back of his head, a habit he had picked up from Asuka.

Seiko chuckled, "The tea was quite delicious, but that is not why I am thanking you. I am to understand from Busujima-san that you and your wife took care of my daughter and her…friend while they lived with you. For that, you have my undying gratitude."

"As much as I hate to pry…"

"But you want to know how I feel about those two living together," Seiko said. "It's no secret that I was shocked, to say the least. It's not something one expects."

Shaun shifted on his cushion while Seiko gathered the rest of her thoughts. She took a slice of orange and nibbled thoughtfully before holding Shaun's gaze once more.

"Please try and understand, Sergeant," she said. "I was born and raised here, I absorbed the conservative social contract we Japanese implicitly understand. Anything that disrupts the flow of giri – obligation, or social harmony, if that makes better sense – is distinctly frowned upon."

Shaun waited for the pause before speaking. "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down?"

Seiko smiled, "Exactly." She finished her orange slice. "It is also understood that, while not a question of morality like it is in the West, non-heterosexual couples disrupt that giri by removing themselves from the gene-pool, the relationship produces no future generations."

Shaun contemplated his tea leaves for a moment as Seiko finished her thought. "I think I can understand where you are coming from," he said at length. "That being said, you spent some time in the United States, Santa Monica, California, if I understand Alex correctly. How did that change your perceptions then?"

"To be honest, when I first came to America, it was a huge shock," Seiko admitted. "I had never been exposed to so many people from so many backgrounds. The first time I encountered an openly gay couple was an eye-opener. James, my husband, explained that it was quite common for people of all sexualities and even gender expressions to be very open about their lives. It took me almost a year before I even got used to the idea."

"And now?"

"What happened with Yukari…sorry, Alexis, and Kinoshita-chan was an unfortunate gut reaction. While I was used to it in other people, it was wholly unexpected with Yukari. Growing up, she never expressed interest in _any_ one, boy or girl, so to see her and Kinoshita-chan together and with a baby, no less…"

"And almost immediately after your reunion was rather too much to take in?" Shaun offered.

"Yes, that exactly," Seiko said. "After I had gone to cool my head, I spoke to Captain Tomasa and assured him that the issue was put to rest."

"And now?"

"I feel I owe the both of them a great big apology." Seiko gazed off to an empty corner, "And sooner, rather than later. Best to clear the air before bad feelings can manifest and cloud the air."

"A wise idea," Shaun said. "Perhaps even tonight? I know Alex is on the roster to meet the _Kaiwo_ when she arrives."

000

"Mom," Alex said as she slid the door open. "What – "

Seiko held her hand up. "Please, Yukarin. May I come inside? I want to speak with you and Kinoshita-chan."

"Are you gonna yell at us some more?" Alex eyed her mother warily.

Seiko sighed and hung her head, "No, I am not going to yell at you, but I would like to discuss something with you and Kinoshita-chan in private. Please?"

Alex stepped aside and allowed her mother admittance. "Please pardon the intrusion," Seiko called out.

"May I offer tea?" Misa asked.

"Oh, no thank you," Seiko waved off politely. "I just came from visiting Sergeant Phillips. Any more tea and I expect to be swimming home."

Alex choked back a snicker as Misa smiled. She led Seiko into the main sitting area and offered the best cushion. Alex followed in with a glass of water and some crackers. The two girls then sat opposite Seiko and waited for the next fight to commence.

Seiko sipped the last of her water and set the glass down. She stood from her seat and moved to Misa's side of the table then prostrated herself before the younger woman. "Please forgive me," Seiko said in an even voice. "I was rude and inconsiderate to you when we first met. I let my own prejudices cloud my judgment. It was unfair to you and to Yukarin. I see now that you two care deeply for each other and have taken the responsibility for Megumi seriously."

Neither girl could say anything for a few moments. Seiko remained prostrate. Catching her thoughts, Misa laid a hand on her mother-in-law's shoulder. "Okaa-sama. I accept your apologies. I fully understand why you reacted as you did. No mother wants their child to engage in relationships that seems out of the ordinary."

Seiko sat up, tears plainly visible in her eyes. She gathered Misa into her arms and wept. A short while later, they broke their embrace. "I ask only one thing now," Seiko said. "Please don't call me okaa-sama anymore. It makes me feel old."

Misa laughed in spite of herself. "Then what may I call you?"

"Giri-no-haha*," Seiko said, then smiled mischievously. "Or, if you are feeling particularly daring, 'Oh Captain, My Captain'."

Misa laughed harder, so much so her sides hurt from the effort. "Oh, my gosh. You sound just like Ah-chan."

"Where do you think she got it from?" Seiko chuckled.

"See?" Alex grumbled. "It's not _all_ my fault."

"Just my luck," Misa sighed, still giggling. "I not only married an otaku, but into a family of otaku." She regarded Megumi, sleeping contentedly in her crib, "My poor baby. I fear for her future."

000

 _Zday+211_

Giba and Shion worked on setting the dozer blade while Paddy sang softly to himself as he fitted snow chains to Stryker One's wheels. Rei, Kohta and Takashi fitted out, loaded and cleaned the weapons systems on Stryker Two, laughing all the while. Shion poked her head around the hull and gained Paddy's attention.

"They're like a bunch of old women," she snickered. "God, is that what we were like when Giba and I hooked up?"

"Worse," Paddy chuckled. "Much, much worse."

"Gee thanks," Shion muttered and returned her attention to the blade. "Is this where you want the blade depth to cut?"

Paddy spared a glance over, "Set it one notch up. The depth you have it now is if we intend to plow the street for traffic. Once we get the chains on the other vehicles, we can just skim enough snow and ice that the chains will bite on their own. I'm really glad we found these things at that truck parts place."

Giba whistled low. "Man, I can't imagine having to do this nonsense every year."

"It doesn't snow where you are from?" Paddy asked.

"Naw, I'm from Kochi Prefecture on Shikoku Island," Giba said. "We get some snow, but it's usually gone in a couple of days. Now, hot and humid? We got that in spades."

Shion grunted, "Ugh, where I'm from, Sapporo City in Hokkaido, it's mostly the opposite. So snow I'm used to. It's like this in Boston, right, Paddy?"

"Yep. Some winter days, it's cold enough to freeze the Charles River. And in summer, the joke is, you can cook an egg on the hood of your car. Humidity is not too bad, but you can work up a real sweat in the summer."

"I wonder what this summer is going to be like?" Giba questioned.

"Don't know," Paddy replied. "All I know is I want to get done so everything is ready to meet the ship this afternoon."

"Hai," the other two replied as they got back to work.

000

 _Zday+212_

"LT, you're coming along on this?" Toda called out as Rika strode to the head of the column. She had donned her favorite shooter vest and form-fitted leather body suit. Her prized PSG-1 slung across her shoulder and a SiG Sauer in drop-leg holster completed the look.

"Rika!" the shrill voice cut through the morning mists. The troop turned to see Shizuka bouncing up the path, something waving in her hand. "You almost forgot this!"

"Ah, my lucky collar," she attempted to take the leather strap from the blonde doctor, but Shizuka was having none of it.

"No no no," she admonished. "I put it on you. It's tradition, remember?"

Rika grumbled softly, but relented as Shizuka slipped the collar around her neck. This was met with whistles, cat calls and more than a few stopped up nose-bleeds.

"Knock it off!" Rika shouted, causing everyone to shut up. She turned to Toda, "Yep, captain said to keep an eye on this crowd and I'm curious why the ship got delayed at the last minute. Plus I need to get some decent target practice in." She thought for a minute before speaking again, "We need to go out and work with Kohta and several others, come to think of it."

Toda nodded, "Next week sometime maybe. I also need to do some live-fire qualification checks on some of the newer people like Alex. Nothing like shooting at a live…or rather an undead target that tells you how they shoot."

"I agree," Rika said as she handed her gear up to Kohta. "Saeko is also thinking about taking her students out in groups and letting them wet their blades also. Well, we better mount up."

"Don't forget me," Rei called out. She had changed into a multi-cam BDU set and boots, a matching kepi hat pulled over her ginger locks. She clutched her naginata in her hand. "Alex-san, will you show me how to tie this as a scarf?"

Alex took the red check shemagh, twirled it into a loose rope and tied it around Rei's neck. "There you go, nice a toasty. Captain thinks you needed practice too?"

Rei chuckled, "Nope, my idea. I haven't been outside the base since we arrived and I wanted to test out some new techniques. Dean-san is minding the school and Sonoda-san is covering training in the dojo."

"Wait, didn't you get to the base like in May or June?" Alex asked, shocked.

"Except for a flight to the _Mercy_ and then back through the safe zone, I've been inside the whole time," the ginger-haired girl replied. "Alex, I had a lot of…issues with the way the world ended up. For a while there I intended to never leave the base again if I could have got away with it."

Alex scratched her cheek and thought about it, "Yeah…I can see why, knowing what I know. It's been a long strange trip for all of us really."

"And will continue to be," Rika said, interrupting the girls. "Now for the next part, load up! We have a ship to meet!"

000

 _Harbor at Kakisaki on Highway 135: A few hours later._

"We had several most interesting encounters on our voyage," Captain Tsugumo said as Rika accepted hot tea on the flying bridge of the _Kaiwo Maru_. "As we neared Amani-ōshima, we ran into a convoy of several ships from America, one an older aircraft carrier and a battleship of Pacific War vintage along with a freighter and oil tanker."

Rika cocked an eyebrow, "Did you recognize the warships?"

"No, I did not," Tsugumo shook his head. "I only caught their hull designations. They were polite, but not very talkative."

"Schweiger!" Rika called down to the dock. "Get yer butt up here, pronto!"

"Aye-aye!" Alex called as she scampered up the gangway. She stood to attention and saluted. "Lance Corporal Alex Schweiger, present as ordered!"

"Captain, perhaps our Marine here could identify your ships," Rika said, returning Alex's salute.

Tsugumo looked at the young American and smiled, "Perhaps she could at that. Lance Corporal, what do you know of the America navy?"

Alex bit her lip, "A bit. My dad was Army, but we did live in Santa Monica so…" she looked at the expectant faces of the officers and shrugged her shoulders. "It's worth a shot."

"An aircraft carrier, oil burner, based on the funnel on her island, hull number '41'," Tsugumo said.

Alex mulled it over, "I'm not sure, but I _think_ that's the Midway. Last I heard she was a floating museum berthed down in San Diego."

Tsugumo nodded, "And a battleship, definitely Pacific War vintage, hull number '61'."

Alex's eyes lit up, "The Big Stick?!"

"So you are familiar with this vessel?" Rika asked.

"The USS Iowa?!" Alex said. "You bet your sweet Aunt Martha, I am! She was also known as The Gray Ghost. She was the backbone of the Pacific Fleet during the landings on Guam, the Mariana and Palau campaigns, the destruction of the Japanese Pacific fleet at Leyte Gulf and the final storming of Okinawa as well as bombarding the Japanese...Home…Islands…" Alex stopped nerding out long enough to notice the uncomfortable looks on the Japanese officers' faces. She quickly bowed, "I'm sorry for bringing up painful memories."

Tsugumo recovered quickly, "It is our shame to bear, not yours, Schweiger-san."

"Anyway, she was refitted and updated back in the 80's, saw service in the first Gulf War and then wound up on display in Port of L.A. I've been onboard her," Alex said as she caught her breath. "She is impressive. Why are you asking about these two museum pieces? Both were decommissioned long ago from active service. Then again, current world affairs as they are…"

"We ran across them during our sail up to Shimoda," Tsugumo said as Alex's eyes widened in surprise. "They were escorting a freighter and oil tanker to Okinawa."

Rika cleared her throat, "You mentioned several interesting encounters," she said. "What were the others?"

Tsugumo regarded the junior enlisted, "Sorry, Lance Corporal. Need to know. I hope you can understand."

Alex let her face fall slightly before quickly recovering her composure and saluted Rika and Tsugumo, "Permission to return to my duty post."

"Granted," Rika saluted. "Dismissed."

The two officers watched the girl depart before Tsugumo cleared his throat. "At the same time we ran into the American flotilla, we also had a run in with a fast attack vessel," Tsugumo spoke in hushed tones. He looked around to make sure no one was in earshot, "A long-range coastal defense ship, flying the Chinese naval flag."

Rika barely contained her shock and surprise.

"She claimed we were in Chinese territorial waters and ordered us to stop and prepare to be boarded for inspection," Tsugumo continued. "The response came from the aircraft carrier. We were in Japanese waters and therefore not subject to any search and seizure by anyone claiming to be Chinese."

"I am almost afraid to know what happened next," Rika whispered, her throat dry.

"The convoy was fired upon, a warning shot across the bow of the carrier," Tsugumo said, the strain and worry evident on his face. "The American battleship returned fire with one of its main batteries. It was not a warning shot; the Chinese vessel exploded and went to the bottom in seconds. There were no survivors."

"Aw, hell," Rika spat. "This is going to cause all manner of shit storms we don't need any part of."

"I agree and so did the commander of the American fleet," Tsugumo said. "Since we were close enough to Okinawa, he ordered the tanker and freighter to steam on to Naha port with the carrier. He then detached the battleship to escort us on to Shimoda. I expect by now the Emperor is more than aware and our operational directives will have changed."

"I better let my CO know as well," Rika said. "May I use the radio room?"

"I will have my XO show you the way," Tsugumo bowed.

000

"Well, well, look who we have here, Jamie-boy," the voice drifted over the gunwale, gaining Alex's attention. She looked up to see Sergeant White and Sergeant Pegg looking over the side at her.

"We've got ourselves a wayward little lamb, Nick my lad," Pegg chuckled. "Couldn't hack the Sar Major and hot tailed to the JSDF."

Alex stuck her tongue out at the two sergeants, "You know as well as I do the Sar Major left me here."

"Proof from the horse's mouth," White laughed. "Well, little lamb, we have something for you. Jamie-boy here wanted to toss it in the drink, but orders is orders."

Alex watched the two senior enlisted debark and approach.

"Tis true," Pegg said, a big smirk on his lips. "The Sar Major ordered us to deliver these to Onohira and get them into your hands."

He held out a small canvas shoulder bag.

"You two are the nicest guys on the face of the earth, you know?" Alex replied, a hint of sarcasm tinting her tone. She accepted the bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"Naturally," White said, a huge smile on his face. "We are the nicest guys you have ever met and will ever know. Everyone can see that."

"Don't you have some sort of guard duty to perform?" Alex asked.

"Oh, look at this, Nicky old son," Pegg said, letting a low whistle escape. "The 'Honorary' Lance Corporal has grown a set of stones since we sent her into the big, mean ol' world."

Alex harrumphed once then returned to her patrol. White and Pegg fell in step right behind her.

"Well, I will credit Davis one thing," White said. "He trained her to march in proper fashion, at the very least."

"Indeed," Pegg said. "View's not bad either."

At this, Alex spun in place, hand on her sword ready to draw. The look on her face told both sergeants she would not hesitate to cut them both down. "That will get you a write-up," she hissed.

Instantly, both White and Pegg back up a few paces, hands in plain view.

"Whoa, whoa," White said, his contrition sincere. "Only a bit of hazing, Schweiger, everyone in the Marines gets their dosing. You're still the 'fresh meat' even if you are on detached duty."

"It's true," Pegg concurred. "Might not look it now, but Nicky and I were once bottom of the heap just like you. Took our first chevron just to get it down to a dull roar. We still get shite from the Sar Major even now."

Alex narrowed her eyes, but let her hand fall from her sword. She stiffened in place. "If the sergeants will excuse the Lance Corporal, she has her duties."

"Off to it, then," Pegg said.

Alex nodded curtly and resumed her patrol.

"Good for her," White said, just loud enough for Alex to hear. "I was really concerned about her, but she will be a fine Marine."

"I agree," Pegg said. "Put that in our report to the Sar Major."

Alex smiled to herself as she neared the end of her route.

000

"Thank you for the information, Lieutenant. I'll put in for a com-sat to the Palace for tomorrow." Tomasa sighed. "Get your shore parties working round the clock, I want to get Tsugumo safely out to sea and back under the American umbrella as soon as possible. Do you know if the battleship is still on station?"

" _Yes, sir. She's anchored several klicks off-shore, we can see her from here with binoculars,"_ Rika said over the radio. _"Her crew has volunteered to help us out. We should have everything unstowed and ready for transport first thing in the morning."_

"Alright, Rika," Tomasa replied, all formalities forgotten. "Do what you need to and get back here as quick as you can. Onohira out," Tomasa looked over his shoulder to regard First Sergeant Tatsumi. "Shit."

"I agree, sir," Tatsumi said. "We can hope it was only a pirate vessel and that the Americans dealt with them the only way pirates should be dealt with."

"And if it actually was a remnant of the Chinese fleet?"

"More powerful heads than ours will be tackling that problem, sir. All things considered, we're too far north and far enough inland that even if it was the Chinese navy, they can't get at us here. Well at least not easily."

Tomasa thought about that, "They can still cut our supply line to Okinawa, that will hurt us long term. And the safe zone is a whole different story."

Well as long as the Americans are keeping that battleship in the area, the Chinese won't try anything in open water. She's boss of the lake now."

"I don't know," Tatsumi replied. "Remember that trouble with the Chinese subs the week after the outbreak?

""I don't know," Tomasa said. "Remember that trouble with the Chinese subs the week after the outbreak?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Meh. I'm not going to lose sleep on it. I'll await orders from the Palace. Meanwhile, I have a, uh, medical check-up scheduled. Ops is all yours, First Sergeant."

Tatsumi snorted and saluted as Tomasa walked out of the office.

000

"Aw, the captain has a headache?" Shizuka cooed softly as she massaged Tomasa's shoulders. He leaned his head back into her ample cleavage as they soaked in the tub. "Well, tonight nursey will make it all better."

"May your patient offer a suggestion on how?" Tomasa said. He turned to face the blonde, cupping her assets.

"My, my," Shizuka giggled, taking the rapidly hardening length of his manhood firmly in hand. "It would seem my patient is feeling better already."

"I find myself in excellent hands," Tomasa struggled not to laugh at his own joke. Shizuka took the lead and soon both were laughing easily as she hiked her hips up to straddle him.

000

Back at the ship, Davis relieved Alex of duty and she finally had time to find Asuka. She spent a few minutes poking around, making sure to stay out of the crew's way. She heard Rika give the order for a round the clock off loading and was surprised to see several US sailors and more than a handful of US Marines rushing about to help. Eventually, Alex made her way to the stern of the ship to the passenger cabins. There she found the room she sought.

"Come in," the familiar voice responded to the double rap on the door frame.

"Pardon the intrusion," Alex excused herself as she opened the door.

"Alex, my dear!" a very pregnant Asuka called out. "How, oof, nice to, ugh, see you."

Alex crossed the distance in time to head off Asuka struggling to gain her feet. She leaned in and gave her surrogate mother a deep hug.

"Help me, guh, stand up, please, hon?" Asuka said. "I'm oof, not as, oi, sprightly as I was."

Alex helped Asuka struggle to gain her feet. That accomplished, Asuka pulled the girl back into another hug. "How's Shaun getting along?"

"He's fine," Alex chuckled. "The captain has him running all over creation trying to get the base into some semblance of working order. He shanghai'd poor Angie Park into helping out where she can. I think she was planning to get back to Okinawa and see her engineer friend, but that got shot down. All the same, Papa misses you and can't wait 'til you're with him again."

"Good. Once I get him alone, I'll punish him for what he's put me through with this pregnancy." Asuka let a gleam of mischief escape her eye. "You would think the second one would be easier, but I suspect this one's figured out Shaun was a footballer in his university days and wants to follow up on that."

Alex stuck her tongue out at the thought of Asuka being pummeled from the inside. "Almost makes me wish I were a guy," she joked. "Between periods and pregnancy, I'm beginning to think God wants us to suffer."

"You don't mean that," Asuka chided gently. "All the nonsense we put up with as women is proof the Heavens made us stronger than the men." She laughed at the thought. "Could you even imagine one of those guys struggling under a pregnancy?"

Alex mused over the thought of Takashi waddling around with a swollen belly before laughing along with Asuka. "No, I don't think I could."

"Good, now help me over to the toilet. I swear the baby is kicking my bladder and I have to pee like there's no tomorrow."

000

"Alright!" Rika called out into the pre-dawn morning. "Let's mount up and get gone. I want to be back in time for morning chow."

Her troops scurried toward their assigned vehicles as Alex, Rei and Hazakura stood last watch. Kohta stood at the forward hatch in Stryker One looking down the road they would take back to Onohira. The four had taken a few minutes earlier to catch a short nap during their down time and were now glad of it. While their sojourn was brief, it was frantic as everyone not on guard or patrol had been roped into unloading the ship as fast as possible.

"Why do you suppose Rika was in such a hurry?" Rei asked as her route intersected Alex's. Hazakura approached from his route. The three stood together as Rei asked her question.

"Dunno," Alex said, shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe it had something to do with those other ships Captain Tsugumo said they ran into."

"What other ships?" Hazakura wondered.

Alex again shrugged her shoulders and pointed out to sea, "Well that battlewagon sitting out there was one and he did say there was an old aircraft carrier. I don't know what it means that they are here and not off the US coast, but I'm sure it concerns him."

"Alright you three," Rika said as she strode up. "Get in. We're gone."

The three blade wielders ran into the back of Stryker Two, followed shortly after by Rika. Shion pulled the ramp and helped Hazakura into his lap harness. She then returned to the rear hatch and took guard on the rear M240 they had mounted.

Rika looked about the cabin. Seeing only the former cop and two teens still awake, she beckoned their attention. "I overheard you three talking about Captain Tsugumo's little high seas adventure." She spoke in a low whisper. "That is need to know only. If and _only_ if Captain Tomasa decides the rest of you need to know, the camp will be notified. Until then, you are under a gag order starting right now. I don't want scuttlebutt pulling the camp apart. Got it? As far as you know the battleship was doing escort duty as a courtesy."

All three nodded. Rika smiled, "Good. Now get some shut eye. We'll be in camp around dawn and we'll need every able body getting this stuff unloaded. Then I'll put everyone on this little joyride in for some R'n'R. Sound good?"

Alex had already drifted off to sleep and Rei was starting to nod off as well. Only Hazakura remained awake to salute.

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow!

* Giri-no-haha – Mother-in-law

EN: 1st posted 8/16/15


	15. Chapter 15

Well only a week late! LOL! Progress is being made on 16 but it might be the same time frame before it is posted.

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 15

 _Zday+212: Okinawa, Hotel suite of Minister Takagi._

"So, it is as you say?" Souichirou Takagi accepted a cup of tea from Yuriko. She turned and offered a cup the American naval officers seated opposite.

"Yes, minister," the leader said. The braid on his uniform marked him a Rear Admiral, his name tag read 'Gallagher'. "The vessel was certainly Chinese and the flag was from their navy."

"Please tell me everything for my report to the Emperor," Souichiro said. He proffered a plate of sliced oranges.

"We left the mainland en-route to Hawaii," Gallagher said. "We were to rendezvous with the new government there."

"New government?" Souichirou raised an eyebrow. "It is my understanding Hawaii is part of the United States. Is this no longer so?"

"It would seem that shortly after the outbreak; descendants of the last monarch seized control and imposed martial law; no one on or off the islands," Gallagher said. "I am to understand that a civilian aircraft attempted to land and was shot down over the ocean. No survivors."

Yuriko let a gasp escape before calming her nerves, "My apologies, Admiral. Please continue."

"Upon our arrival, the new queen issued an ultimatum. Anyone who wished to stay had to swear fealty. Otherwise, they were free to leave with us. Most of the navy installations packed up and headed back to the States. Some Army and most of the Air Nat Guard stayed behind. In short, Hawaii is now a separate, independent nation once again. We rendezvoused with the Mighty Mo," Gallagher regarded the raised eyebrows of his hosts. "Sorry, the Iowa's sister ship, the _USS Missouri_ , as she steamed out of Pearl."

Souichirou stiffened at the mention of that name. It was the _Missouri_ that hosted Japan's final surrender in Tokyo Bay concluding the Pacific War in 1945; she was a symbol Don Takagi did not care for. "Where is this vessel now?"

"On her way back to San Pedro," Gallagher replied. "She is going to get an overhaul and retrofit, then remain on station in the eastern Pacific. Currently, The Midway and Iowa await the Emperor's dispensation to remain on station here to help guard the sea lanes."

"I must say," Souichirou said, taking in all the information he had received. "You Americans were quick to take back your west coast."

"I wish we could say we had," Gallagher said. "We have control over most port facilities. Portland, Oregon, ports of L.A. and Long Beach and San Diego. However, all of the San Francisco Bay and most of Seattle and Tacoma Washington remains a red zone, off limits, though the sub pens on Bremerton are fully operational and secure. Most importantly, we have completely secured the oil rigs and refineries in Long Beach, so fuel is not a huge concern."

"Tell me now of the encounter with the Chinese vessel," Souichirou said.

"We were in convoy with the Iowa, a cargo ship out of San Diego and an oil tanker from Long Beach. As we neared Amani-ōshima, we encountered a four-master flying the Japanese flag, call sign _Kaiwo Maru_."

"I am familiar with this vessel," Souichirou said. "She ferries supplies and troops to and from Okinawa-jima on an irregular schedule. Commanded by Captain Tsugumo, a fine officer. Please continue, Admiral."

"The Chinese vessel approached at speed, hoisted her colors and ordered us to stop, claiming we were in Chinese territorial waters. We were to be boarded, our cargo seized and all crew 'repatriated'. Naturally we refused, citing map coordinates showing us to be in Japanese littoral waters. We were fired upon, the shot went over the Midway's bows and the Iowa's captain ordered her number two battery to return fire."

"Which is what happened," Souichirou concluded. "I understand there were no survivors?"

"It would seem the Chinese never took into account a sixteen inch gun when they built their ships," Gallagher said with a shrug. "Had he been able to predict the results, I'm sure the captain would have had the fives open up instead. I need to be honest with you, Minister; technically we are in a state of war with the Chinese since this all began. They were the ones that fired those nukes at Japan after all."

"The sinking is regrettable, but unavoidable," Souichirou agreed. "Still, we now have a huge factor to consider. The Chinese have never accepted our position in the Pacific. The current outbreak of disease just makes it more difficult to deal with them. At this time, I am certain the emperor will graciously accept your offer to remain in the western Pacific." He stood and bowed before extending his hand.

Admiral Gallagher returned the bow then accepted the handshake. "The Midway is an older carrier, Minister," he said. "Nothing like the big nuke jobs, but she can still put up a fight and carries two full fighter wings."

"That is far better than we currently have," Souichiro said. "Our last carrier escort, the British _Ark Royal_ set sail to the island of Diego Garcia this past autumn with orders to carry away everything that would fit in her holds. She is due back this spring. Our own helicopter destroyers are busy patrolling and doing what rescue operations they can."

"Ark Royal, a venerable name," Gallagher said. "I had occasion to meet with Captain McElroy. How is he doing?"

"He died valiantly," Souichirou said, his voice somber in respect. "Repelling an outbreak aboard his vessel."

"He will be missed," Gallagher said. "In that case, until further orders, may I put into Naha port and rotate my crew for shore leave? They have been at sea the better part of two months since we were not allowed to go ashore in Hawaii, and I would like to get them some R&R."

"With all the compliments of the Emperor," Souichirou replied, a generous smile on his face. "I will depart for the Palace this afternoon and make my report. Thank you, Admiral. My dear wife will show you out."

"It was a pleasure to meet with you, Minister," Gallagher said. "Again, my apologies for the short notice on this meeting."

"It was no inconvenience," Souichirou reassured the American. "We knew of your arrival in advance and I was dispatched by the emperor to meet with you personally."

Gallagher bowed politely and left, escorted out by Yuriko.

"What does this mean for the base at Onohira?" Yuriko asked when she came back.

"Hopefully nothing," her husband replied. "But it is better to be forewarned than caught off-guard."

000

 _Zday+213_

John was starting to get used to the pink tornado that was now his boss. Currently she was looking over a new inventory system he was recommending.

"So basically all we need to do is reorganize the stock and put this into effect?" the pink-haired dynamo asked.

"Yes, ma'am," John replied. "Your system works now, but is a bit clunky. Rearranging this way organizes items where they can be pulled faster and groups related items closer together. It will take a few late nights work to get it all set up though."

Saya shook her head, "No need for that! I'll just lock the door for a day and we'll grab some warm bodies to help. If we work straight through only taking a few breaks, we should be able to get it done in eight to twelve hours."

John nodded, "That would be best; I just didn't want to tie up supply for all that time."

Saya shook her head again, "In the long run it will take less time and work better this way. Plus except for a few daily patrols and some snatch and grabs for certain supplies, we are not really doing a lot right now. The weather has everything locked down." She smiled slightly and nodded to the man, "Good job! I'm glad Rika thought to send you over to me!"

"I'm just glad I can help," he replied. "Now I just need to find something to do with Sarah during my shifts," he said as she glanced over where the girl was sitting at a desk sorting through some of the lists Saya had been using for inventory.

"Why? What's wrong with her staying here?" the teen asked.

"I…I just don't want her to be in the way," John said. "She's only thirteen…"

The girl snorted, "Zimmerman-san that is not a problem at this base. Everyone here works in one form or another. She can help out around here even if it is just sweeping floors and pulling stock. You do remember that she is only three years younger than I am correct?"

The man chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck, "Sorry, Takagi-san, I tend to easily forget you're as young as you are. It's taking some getting used to."

The girl nodded, "I understand. Plus if she wants to she can always go down to the school and help out with the younger kids if she feels like it. Sarah? Come over here please."

The younger teen came over and looked at the older.

"Would you like to work here and help me and your uncle out every day? If you get tired of that you can go down to the school and help take care of the little children," Saya told her.

Sarah looked at John, who nodded. "If you want to you can, Sarah. Takagi-san thinks you would be a big help," he said.

The girl nodded and bowed to Saya.

"I think she means, 'Please take care of me'," the man said as he grinned.

Saya smiled and bowed back to the younger girl. "Good. Now I'm going to walk over and see the captain and let him know what we are going to do. You two watch the counter while I am gone."

The pair nodded as the teen headed out the door.

000

"So how many people do you think you will need for this?" Tomasa asked.

"I'm thinking ten or so. I thought I would ask Shion-san and several others who have already helped me out in the past," Saya replied.

The Captain shook his head, "No, not Shion, she is going out with Toda tomorrow. He's taking several groups into the field for weapon qualification and the snipers for long range practice."

The girl frowned, "Kohta didn't say anything about that."

The man smirked, "Probably because he just found out less than five minutes ago! A few days after that Busujima-san will be taking her sword wielders out for some 'on the job' training."

"Looks like we are going to have a busy week!" Saya said as she headed back towards supply.

000

 _Zday+213_

Toda and Rika stood watching as those picked to go with them climbed into the Strykers and one of the trucks. They turned their attention towards the three Pathfinders and one Marine as the group walked up.

"Got room for us?" Kuma asked. "I would like to go along and see how you work. We haven't received orders yet so we may be staying around awhile and we want to be useful."

"I've got no problem with it but we're full up," Rika said. She thought for a minute before speaking again, "Tell you what, we'll take the command car and three of you can ride with me. Kuma, you take my spot in the left hatch of Stryker 1. That will put Toda-san driving and you will be with Cadet Hirano."

Kuma nodded, "I haven't talked to him much except in the armory, but he seems to know what he's doing."

Rika and Toda smirked. "He's one of our hidden gems," Rika said. "He learned to shoot in America from an ex-Delta Force operator. He's been a real asset to us since he and the other teenagers joined."

Isaac whistled as the others chuckled. "Well then," Kuma said. "I'm curious to see him work!"

"One of you three run and get my Humvee," Rika told the others.

"I'll do it," David said as he started to jog towards the motor pool.

"Wait, Marines can drive!?" Brian exclaimed in shock.

David turned and ran backwards as he saluted his friend with his middle finger while everyone laughed. "Better than you, Air Farce!"

Kuma shook his head as he walked over and climbed the front of Stryker 1. Arriving on top he found Kohta unwrapping the machine gun from its weather cover. "Looks like I'm with you today, Cadet," he said as he settled into the left hatch.

Kohta nodded as he rolled the gun cover up to be stowed. "Glad to have you aboard. How shall I refer to you, Peterson-san?"

The man thought for a second, "Well, I'm not really in your command chain yet so just call me Kuma. It's just easier and faster in combat."

The teen smiled, "Hai, Kuma. Please call me Kohta if you will."

The big man nodded as he watched the boy work the action of the gun several times and then attach the ammo belt. "Not going to put one in the chamber?" he asked.

Kohta shook his head, "I honestly don't think we are going to need it, and it's so cold I might have to pry it out if we don't use it. Plus it's really more effective on live targets than undead."

Kuma frowned, "And you've used it on live targets?"

Kohta's face darkened a bit, "Several times on marauder groups that thought we were paper dragons and not the fighting force we are."

The American nodded, but didn't question further. "Do you mind if I take the 240?" he asked, patting the light machine gun in the pintle mount in front of him.

"Sure thing," Kohta replied, returning to his usual, cheerful demeanor. "Be warned though. That one's got a hair trigger and Paddy has taken to calling it 'Dirty Harry'."

Kuma laughed loudly and patted Kohta lightly on the back. "That sounds like something Army would do." He turned his attention to the weapon in question, "Alright, Detective. I'll play nice if you do."

An hour later the group was on an overlook in an elevated parking lot. To the east of them was the roof of a 7-11 convenience store and a hotel was at their backs. The parking lot was easily closed off since all they had to do was block the two steep entrance ramps with the Strykers.

Toda had gone down the hill with Alex and several others who he wanted to test in pistol use. They were back a few minutes later.

"Good shooting, Alex," Kohta said as the girl walked back over while Toda talked to Rika.

"Yeah I told them I could shoot!" she said as she laughed and stretched. She then pulled the AK-74 from where it hung on her back.

"How many rounds do you have for that?" the boy asked.

"Yes sir, yes sir, three mags full!" the girl said with a grin as the Pathfinders and others laughed.

"Well enjoy it, because next week it goes south to the safe zone and then to Okinawa," Toda said as he and Rika walked over.

"Aww, I really want to keep this smexy gun!" the girl said as she pouted.

"Well since you are so eager, you're up first," Rika said as she motioned toward the railing at the edge of the lot. "Five rounds, five targets."

"Aye-aye, LT," Alex replied as she walked over. Looking over she saw several walkers coming down the street.

"Start close and work your way further out," Toda told her as he stepped up beside her.

Nodding, Alex raised the rifle to her shoulder. _Ka-pow! Ka-pow! Ka-pow! Ka-pow! Ka-pow!_

"How that?" the girl asked as she lowered her weapon.

The older man shook his head as he chuckled, "Fifty to two hundred meters, all head shots. We may want to train you up on a sniper rifle."

"Told ya my papa taught me how to shoot!" Alex said with a grin. "Now, I'm curious to see how Kohta-kun does."

"Oh he does quite well," Rika said as she and the boy in question stepped up.

"What is your rifle, Hirano-san?" Kuma asked. "Looks like a Knights Arms 25."

The teen shook his head, "No, it's an original Armalite AR-10. Someone loved it and cared for it and made it happy."

"Yeah me," Rika said. "Little punk stole that out of the gun cabinet in the bedroom of my condo!"

Kohta grinned, "But Rika-san, you weren't using it and it saved us! Plus you said later I could keep it!"

Everyone laughed as the woman smirked. "Well if you don't treat her right I _will_ take it back! Now get to shooting!"

The boy dropped the bi-pod and rested on the railing wall. Taking aim he called out, "Zed, two hundred meters." _Krack!_

"Headshot, one kill," Toda called out as he watched through binoculars. This went on for ten more shots until the boy finally missed one at over six hundred meters.

"Shit, the boy could easily pass Marine rifle quals," David said. "Even I had to re-shoot since I missed the first time out."

Kohta spared a glance over his shoulder. "US Marines have to consistently hit a target at four hundred meters, right?"

"You are correct," the Marine replied. "And with an M-16 no less. I am very impressed, son."

Isaac whistled as the others all gaped in shock. "You mean to tell me you're hitting like that with an assault rifle!?" the man said.

Kohta shrugged his shoulders, "Well it was owned by the fifth best sniper in all of Japan…"

The Americans all looked at Rika with a new respect. "I would have been fourth, but I was sick…" she muttered.

"Damn, Kohta-kun! If you were not so attached to Saya-chan I might take you for myself!" Alex said as the boy blushed. This was met with a few knowing winks and wolf-whistles from the American team.

"Huh, showoff," Rika muttered as she put her PSG to her shoulder. Shots rang out as she began to knock down targets at eight, nine and eleven hundred meters.

Kohta ran over to Stryker 2 and borrowed Giba's PSG. "Now let's get on equal footing," he said as he did the same as she.

"Oh great, now they are going to get started," Toda muttered to Kuma as the pair began to tear up every target in sight.

Thirty minutes later Toda frowned as the shots still rang out. Now the pair was going for trick shots like bouncing the round off of a concrete power pole to hit their targets.

Finally the shooting instructor had had enough. "Hey, you two!" he called out. "That's it! You're burning through ammo for no gains!"

Rika and Kohta both looked toward the man with feral grins on their faces. Rika focused on him and began to calm down, but Kohta was giggling insanely.

"Gotta…gotta kill'm all," he muttered. "All I need is enough ammo and I'll kill all the zombie bastards!"

This outburst shook Rika out of her spell. She put her rifle down and wrapped her arms around the boy as she leaned on his back. "Not now, Kohta-kun," she whispered in his ear. "We'll get them later. Chill out now. Time to go home."

The boy took a deep breath and nodded as the woman massaged his neck and shoulders. "O…okay Rika…if you say so…"

"Whitman Fever?" David whispered to Isaac. The mustached man nodded in response.

"Sorry, Chief Instructor. Seems we got a little carried away," the woman said.

"Ya think?" the man responded. "That's enough for today, everyone. Mount up and let's get back to base before sundown."

The squad formed up and returned to their assigned vehicles. Stryker 1 pulled away and led the column back to Onohira. Relaxing in the crew compartment, Alex spared a glance over to Kohta as she checked over her Kalashnikov.

"You okay, Kohta-kun?"

Kohta said nothing, but did smile at Alex. Alex shrugged, then went back to servicing her weapon.

The ride back was largely uneventful, aside from a pit stop at a small out of the way shop to raid for whatever could fit into the space available.

The sun was just settling into the western horizon as the shooters lined up for a bite inspection, Alex gently tickled Kohta's ear. "Hey, if you wanna talk about it…"

Kohta smiled again, but shook his head. "It's nothing, Alex-chan. I'll be perfectly fine."

Alex bit her lip, but chose to remain silent. Just like her, this young man had some serious issues to work through and was apparently not quite ready to spill them.

"Alright," Tomasa called out as he approached. "I hope you all learned something from your little sojourn today."

Rika stepped forward one pace and saluted. "Sir, the troops have demonstrated an acceptable level of proficiency with firearms. I would also like to commend Cadet Hirano on his exemplary shooting. He was able to hit a moving target at just less than six hundred meters without a spotter and with only one round."

Tomasa regarded Kohta. "Cadet Hirano, please step forward."

At this, Kohta stepped one pace out and saluted smartly. Tomasa placed himself face to face and returned the salute before dropping his arm to offer a handshake. "I was going to wait until tomorrow for this, but I feel you should know right now," he said as Kohta took Tomasa's hand in his. "At roll call tomorrow, I will formally induct you and Komuro-san into the JGSDF as full and proper soldiers. How does that make you feel?"

Kohta turned a shade of red that seemed impossible. "I-I don't know what to say, sir," he stammered. "I will do my absolute best to live up to the expectations place upon me."

"Well, I'm sure they will be slightly easier than the expectations of a certain pinkette genius," Tomasa replied with a wink. This was greeted with hushed snickers from those in the know as Kohta scratched at the back of his head. He thanked Tomasa and returned to the line.

"As for the rest of you, dismissed," Tomasa called out.

Alex detoured past her home and went straight to the supply hut. "Closed?" she read the sign aloud. "What the…?" She knocked politely on the door and waited for an answer.

"Obviously there are some illiterates in camp…" Saya muttered as she rudely yanked the door open. "I can't really talk now, Alex-san. Please be quick."

"Sorry, are you in the middle of something really important?"

Saya rolled her eyes before fixing Alex to the ground with a hard stare. "Oh, not really. Just thought I'd close up shop early."

"That's unusual," Alex replied. She chanced a peek behind Saya to notice the flurry of activity behind her. "When you get a chance, I want to talk to you about Kohta-kun."

She started to walk away, but felt a hand grab her arm. She turned to see Saya standing on the stoop, her fists balled up on her hips. "What about my Kohta?"

"Is he…okay?" the big girl asked.

Saya shut her eyes. "I don't think so, but I don't want to talk about it in the open and I can't really talk at all right now," she said, her voice calm. "Something happened out there today, didn't it?"

Alex nodded. "I know it's not really my place…"

Saya smiled softly, "Any time before the End, I would have told you to mind your business. But since everything affects everyone on this base, I'm finding that nothing is really very personal anymore. Let me finish up what I have going on inside; I'll find you later when it's done and we can talk. All of us."

"All of us?" Alex cocked an eyebrow.

"The Fujimi group," Saya replied. "It seems we all still have a great deal to discuss."

Alex smiled then bowed, "Please forgive my intrusion. I will take my leave now."

Saya returned the bow than turned back to the supply hut. "No! _This_ goes _here_ and _that_ goes _there_!"

Alex laughed aloud and made her way back to her home.

000

 _Z+214_

Saeko gently creased the hem of Takashi's new uniform pants as the boy straightened out his collar. "I really hate this noose," he muttered. "That's why I always wore it loose at school."

The young man was dressed in a dark blue, almost black pseudo-military, _gakuran_ style uniform like Minister Takagi was often seen in. On his hands were bright white gloves and a student style cap with the sakura cherry blossom insignia of the GSDF rested on his head.

"Think of it as a temporary irritation, my love," Saeko said, standing to meet Takashi's eyes. She ran her hands over his chest a tad longer than strictly necessary before turning her attentions to the offending item.

"Where did they even get this?" the boy asked.

"They were sent as a gift from mine and Saya's fathers," the girl replied. "They wanted to be sure both of you looked the part on this special day even if they could not be here."

"Will…will you be there for my induction this morning?"

"I would not miss it for the world, my dearest," Saeko said. "Rei and Saya will join me shortly so we may dress for the occasion."

Takashi blushed. "Can I help with anything?"

Saeko playfully gripped his tunic in her hand and pulled it a bit too tight, causing Takashi to choke slightly. "That would be most unseemly, my love," she chuckled softly. "While I certainly revel in the idea of you seeing me in a state of complete undress, I am a most jealous wife and I demand your attentions focus on me and me alone."

She released him and adjusted the jacket to sit comfortably. She was about to reach up and steal a kiss when her actions were interrupted by a polite knock at the door.

"Ah, that would be the ladies in question now," Saeko said. She strode to the door to admit Saya and Rei, each carrying a bundle of cloth in their arms. Saeko turned back to Takashi, "If you will excuse us?"

Takashi bowed deeply, "The induction takes place in two hours. Please take good care of each other."

Saya and Rei shared a giggle while Saeko nodded serenely.

000

The two newest inductees stood off to one side on a makeshift dais set up in the mess hall. Kohta fidgeted slightly and struggled gently with the collar on his new uniform. "Why do we have to wear this monkey-suit?" he muttered.

Takashi shook his head, "Regulations, I guess."

"We're not meeting anyone from the government or any dignitaries…" Kohta trailed off.

Takashi turned to see why Kohta had stopped talking and nearly fell down in shock. Three visions of absolute beauty filled the main entrance as Saeko entered, flanked to her left by Rei and to her right Saya. Saeko had chosen a full regalia formal tomesode kimono in deep plum with the chrysanthemum of the Imperial house embroidered on the left breast. A maru-obi of blackest silk embroidered with cherry blossoms wrapped tightly about her waist, her Murata-tou suspended tachi-style on her left hip. She had pulled her hair into a simple, yet neatly styled bun, with two decorative chopsticks holding the bun in place, each with a dainty brass bell that chimed gently with each step.

Saya had chosen a kimono of light pink with cherry blossoms embroidered in a tasteful pattern. The obi encircling her waist a fiery red with her wakizashi tucked in at the left. Her hair had been pulled into a single French braid that nearly reached the knot in the obi as it nestled in the small of her back.

Rei had chosen a rich sky blue in plain fabric with only an ukiyo-e wave pattern embroidered on the hem. The contrasting peach obi setting off her ginger locks tied in a braid wrapped like a crown about her head. She had opted to leave her naginata behind, and instead kept a folding fan at her belly.

"You look absolutely gorgeous," Alex, whispered to Rei as they passed by.

"Thank you," Rei giggled softly. "I owe it all to Saeko-san. She helped me choose the color palette and Saya tied it off."

"My compliments to you," Alex then whispered to the women in question. Saya smiled with a wink and a hint of pride while Saeko nodded in acknowledgment. Misa then took Alex by the hand and led her to their seats.

Murmurs and whispers arose from the audience as the trio sat in their chairs, afforded pride of place in front row center.

The crowd quieted down as Tomasa, Rika and Tatsumi walked onto the dais.

"Troop!" Tatsumi called out at a nod from Tomasa. "Atten-Shun!"

All uniformed troopers in the audience leapt to their feet and saluted.

Tomasa cleared his throat. "At ease." He waited for the troop to recover their salutes. "You may be seated." Another pause while the audience took their seats again. "Today is a very special day for two among us. Cadet Komuro and Cadet Hirano, please present on the dais."

Takashi and Kohta then stood and walked over to Tomasa. Their footsteps rang in unison as they stepped forward. Stopping they snapped to attention and saluted smartly. At this, Tomasa and Rika shared a smirk and returned the salute. Upon recovering, the two young men then faced Tatsumi and bowed at the waist nearly parallel to the floor. Tatsumi returned the bow at a slightly less deep angle.

"Raise you right hands," Tomasa said as he opened a small book to read the army oath which they recited back while saluting the National flag.

Formalities taken care of, the two cadets returned their attention to Tomasa.

"These two young men came to us from a world in the throes of chaos and death, where only the strongest, smartest and most ruthless survive. They came to us, not with hostile intent, but with friendship and care. They chose to join with us and help reclaim and rebuild what was lost. Cadet Komuro."

Takashi stepped forward and stiffened into another salute.

"Cadet Komuro has shown uncommon valor, superior leadership and the ability to approach a problem from multiple angles. He has demonstrated that often times the best solution is not strength or violence, but tactics and skill. His leadership and problem-solving in the field have proven invaluable time and again. It is with great pride and satisfaction that my leadership team, with the blessing of The Emperor, accepts and warrants Komuro Takashi as Leading Private Komuro. Congratulations."

Takashi accepted the handshake along with a set of embroidered collar dogs denoting his new rank. At this, he bowed deeply and stepped back to his starting position on the dais.

"Cadet Hirano," Tomasa said. At this, Kohta stepped forward and saluted smartly. "Cadet Hirano has shown selfless determination in defense of his comrades. His abilities in recognizing unconventional means to accomplish goals, dedication to his teammates and superb shooting skills have put this young man in a class ahead of his contemporaries. It is with great pride and satisfaction that my leadership team, with the blessing of The Emperor, accepts and warrants Hirano Kohta as Specialist First Class Marksman Hirano. Congratulations."

Kohta accepted the handshake along with his set of embroidered collar dogs. He, too, bowed deeply and stepped back to his starting position on the dais next to Takashi.

"On behalf of the Emperor and the people of Japan, my officers and troops, it is with great pleasure to introduce the newest members of the Ground Self Defense Forces, Leading Private Komuro Takashi and Specialist First Class Hirano Kohta."

Tatsumi cleared his throat once more, "Troop! Atten-Shun!"

At this the entire troop and all the civilians in the audience stood and saluted or bowed per their station. Kohta shared a wink with Takashi. They both walked to the edge of the dais and took their caps off.

"Cadets No More!" they shouted in unison then tossed their caps into the air. This was met with an uproar of cheers as several troopers rushed the stage and carried their newest members out of the mess hall on their shoulders for a ceremonial parade around the camp.

As the crowd thinned out, Saeko, Rei and Saya approached Tomasa as he, Rika and Tatsumi descended.

"I trust you will not go easy on them just because they graduated," Saeko arched an eyebrow.

"Not at all," Tomasa smirked. "In fact, once their celebration winds down, the lieutenant has their first legit assignments."

"Oh?" Saya asked. "Do tell."

"Nothing super difficult, I hope," Rika said. "I am sending out a scout party a couple of days to the west. There is a regional medical center in Shimoda proper I want to check out. I'm putting Komuro in charge and letting him pick his team."

"Quite ambitious," Saeko smiled. "I am certain he will more than succeed."

"That's why we are having him do it," Rika replied. "But for now, "Let them have their fun. We'll put them through their paces tomorrow."

000

By late afternoon, the hullabaloo surrounding Takashi and Kohta had died down and the base settled back into its normal routine. The two boys made their way back to the house with the idea to change back into their everyday duty uniforms.

"Our heroes have returned victorious from the front," Saeko giggled behind her hand as she and Saya met them on the front porch. "We must celebrate in proper fashion."

"I completely agree, Saeko-san," Saya cooed seductively. She reached out and hooked her finger into Kohta's collar. She then turned and led the red-faced teen back to their quarters.

Saeko nodded approvingly then turned to Takashi. "Leading Private, your commanding officer would like to 'speak' to you in her private quarters."

"An order the private cannot refuse," Takashi said with a salute.

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow!

EN: 1st posted 8/30/15


	16. Chapter 16

Looks like this is falling out for postings to be about every two weeks.

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 16

 _Zday+215: Early Morning_

Alex sat in the mess hall, drinking coffee and waiting on morning muster when Saya came in. After the pink-haired girl got her own cup and a plate of pastries, her friend waved her over.

"Why did you ask me about Kohta day before yesterday?" Saya asked, getting straight to the point.

"Umm, he kinda went over the edge a little at practice," Alex replied. "Of course Rika did too, but he was far enough she had to snap him out of it." Alex tried, and failed, to gauge Saya's reaction. The pinkette simply sat and waited for Alex to finish. "I know I don't know everything all of you went through, but did something more happen than just the end of the world?"

Saya sighed, "We were hiding out at a mall. A group of so-called adults had already taken up residence there and they were being watched over by a police woman, a girl really, fresh out of the academy. Kohta saved her, helped her a couple times when some of the oldsters tried to push her around and one guy even tried to rape Shizuka."

Alex whistled softly at this.

"She…she fell for him pretty hard," Saya said, turning red as she looked down at her drink. "I –I was just starting to really develop feelings for him, but instead of staking my claim I held back." Saya bit into a pastry to gather her thoughts. "She was the first person to ever confess to him and…well, even though he rejected her, I know it meant a lot to him."

"And he rejected her because of you?" the ginger asked.

The other girl smirked slightly, "Yeah, I like to think so at least, even though I had not truly opened up to him yet."

"How did she take it?"

"Oh she was fine; I think she understood there was someone in our party he was looking at. It didn't affect them as far as being friendly to each other." Saya sat silent for a moment, then sucked in a tense breath. "But then They got in and we had to run for it. Kohta asked her to come with us, but as we were leaving through the mall parking lot, we saw a boy on top of a van with undead all around him. Her sense of duty kicked in and she and another person ran to help." Saya sighed again, "The boy got away… but Asami and the other guy were surrounded. There was no way we could drive them off. She started yelling at Kohta, calling him names and cursing him, but it was just so he could do what he had to do. She stood at attention and saluted as he killed her."

Alex closed her eyes and grimaced as she tried to imagine how hard it had to be for her friend to make that shot especially knowing, somehow, that he kept his scope fixed on her while he pulled the trigger. Opening them she focused on Saya again, "And after that?"

"He broke a short time later. Shizuka was able to pull him back from over the edge, but he has had nightmares a few times where he called out her name."

"How do you feel about that?" Alex asked.

The pinkette shrugged her shoulders, "I'm okay. I can understand. It was a traumatic moment in his life. Plus I know how much he loves me. I mean, it's not like he's having sex dreams about her…or anything."

Alex wanted to snort in amusement, but bit her lip and thought better of it. "Okay, I wasn't trying to pry. I'm sorry if I dragged up any unpleasant memories."

Saya shook her head again, "No, the two of you may get paired on missions. You need to know if he steps over the line again, what to look for. Just...just please watch out for him for me will you? He means everything to me."

Alex nodded, "I will, don't worry about that."

Saya smiled, pleasantly and genuinely at the offer. She reached out and squeezed Alex's hand for a moment before finishing the last of her breakfast and leaving.

000

Toda and Rika watched with Saeko as the blade wielders loaded into the Strykers and trucks.

"Have you decided where we are going, Busujima-san?" Rika asked as Alex jogged up.

"Yes," the onna-bugeisha replied. "I reviewed drone reports and decided to return to the school north of here that we passed on the way to the marauders camp. There is still a large population of undead in the area and the open activity field will be a good place to fight."

"Just don't forget there are bones under the snow where Cowboy and Mississippi chewed them up before," the woman reminded her.

Saeko nodded, "I have prepared for that. The Apache pilots kept most of their kills in the northwest corner of the field where we will work in the southeast."

Toda nodded, "Still though, I want to make sure the guns on the Strykers are manned at all times. Parking them and the trucks along the road will give a good field of fire if we need to use them." He paused for a moment as his eyes scanned the troopers climbing onto the trucks. "I've made sure everyone is wearing a pistol and those staying on over watch will have rifles as well. The main thing is if it gets to be too much of a crowd, you let the gunners lay down cover fire and retreat to the trucks."

The girl bowed to the older man. "I understand your concerns and will comply, Toda-sama," she said.

"Well, let's go then," Rika said, heading into Stryker 1.

At this moment, Kuma and his team strolled up and snapped to attention. "LT, the men and I have never seen swords used in combat and we feel it would be a useful exercise. Plus, we can offer our services on overwatch."

"I have no problem," Rika said, then turned to Toda. "Toda-san?"

"I can't see any harm in it, plus, as they said, extra eyes on watch are always a good thing."

"Mount up, boys," Rika smirked.

Alex was the last to board and closed the ramp before taking a seat next to Takashi on the right side of the crew compartment. With her on his left, this put Saeko on Takashi's right. Across from them were two of Saeko's top students, Toujou Sayuri and Hazakura Shidou, while three other of the 'first class' rounded out the party.

Alex noticed Toujou was smirking slightly as she glanced her way. "What's wrong?" the girl asked the woman.

"Nothing really," the older woman said as she raised her voice to be heard over the roar of the vehicle's engine. "Just thinking that now we finally get to see the Tiger of Ikei in action."

The girl grinned back as she fingered the hilt of her sword. She had just now noticed that each person's sword sheath was painted slightly different. Toujou's was a fiery metallic red while her partner Hazakura's was an icy blue with veins of silver threaded into the finish. Alex's was shiny black with a snarling golden tiger engraved into it.

"I'm curious myself, Toujou-san. I've had the pleasure of Hazakura-san's company on a mission, but until now, we have not been placed together. I believe something was said about us being too much alike," the younger woman said. "Too much fire, not enough ice."

Toujou smirked at the description. "Still I'm curious to see what Master Busujima saw in you to train you himself," the woman replied.

"All force and strength with little finesse!" Alex and Saeko quoted together as Takashi laughed.

"Well…we'll see," Toujou said as she smiled and leaned back, settling in for the ride.

000

 _Shirahama High School Two Hours Later_

The convoy stopped on the street in front of the school. Across the road stood a shrine and several small businesses.

Everyone waited and watched to see what kind of reaction they would get from the undead before dismounting the vehicles.

Takashi and Saeko climbed on top while Rika, Kohta and Toda looked around.

"I only see about a dozen or so," Rika said. "I don't know whether to be nervous or disappointed."

"I'm sure once we make some noise they'll come out of the woodwork," Toda said. "Takashi, when you get out, take two flash bangs and throw them right up next to the doors of the school," he pointed out his designated targets. "Chuck'em under the awning. I'll bet the pop will echo and we'll have zeds coming from all corners."

"Right," the young man replied as he checked his pouch for the grenades.

"Well this is your show, Saeko-san," Rika said. "We start when you're ready."

The girl nodded and motioned for everyone to dismount. Alex opened the rear ramp and then raised it again halfway after the others got out. Forty swordsmen and women formed up as Saeko stepped in front of them.

"Once Leading Private Komuro sets off the noise makers, we will engage in pairs. _Always_ stay with your partner and watch each other's backs," she looked over the group as they nodded they understood. "You may start, Leading Private."

Takashi nodded and walked closer to the school building. Pulling the pins and then drawing back, he threw the devices one after the other. A loud bang and bright flash ripped the cold silence of the dead school yard.

Seconds later the undead let their presence be known. In force.

"Form a semi-circle! If you tire, fall back and rest before returning to combat!" Saeko ordered. "Alex, stay back with me and Takashi!"

"Aye-aye," the other girl replied.

Toujou and Hazakura led the way as the first wave of undead arrived. The couple worked as a well-oiled team. They were both using sword styles that Alex had not seen before.

"What style is that, Saeko-san?" the girl asked as she motioned toward the pair.

"Toujou-san is using the Sakura One-Strike style," Saeko told her. "It was developed in the Edo era for women with inferior strength. It takes advantage of the opponent's movements and is a mostly thrusting technique. Hazakura-san, on the other hand, was injured in competition some time ago and has a weak left wrist as a result. He compensates for that by using his own one-handed style as well as adapting from other styles."

Alex nodded as she watched, noticing Toujou always stayed on Hazakura's left. Her head then panned left to right as she evaluated how the rest were doing.

With the first wave of undead struck down, the sword fighters regrouped as the second wave shuffled closer, moaning loudly.

"Odd number teams hold the line as even numbers fall back to rest!" Saeko ordered. This cut the fighting line down to twenty.

Saeko's eye twitched slightly as Shinigami's voice echoed in her head. _How much longer will you make me wait! Call the American to your side and leap into the fray!_

"Not yet," Saeko muttered under her breath. "My people need their training first before you get to feed!" The sword wielder glanced towards the other girl and froze when she focused on her. Alex hung her head slightly down, her bangs hanging over her eyes. Her mouth was frozen in a feral grin as she muttered to herself.

 _"...what you should always be imagining is you, at your most powerful."_

"Are…are you speaking with her?" Saeko muttered to the voice in her head. "She is not yours to claim!"

 _Silence, Saeko-chan! You presume to tell_ me _who I can and cannot claim as my own? How do you think I know of the fire in her belly! She burns to be satisfied as you do, my Avatar!_

The fighting went on as the third, fourth and fifth wave of zeds met the Onohira fighters and died in the silver flashes of their cutting blades. Odd and even number teams switched with each wave.

But, after almost an hour of off and on combat, many of the troops began to tire to the point of exhaustion.

"Now, it is our turn!" Saeko/Shinigami declared as a last group of about thirty undead pushed out of the school buildings doors. "Come Alexis! Join me!" she shouted as she leapt forward.

"CRY HAVOC AND LET LOOSE THE HOUNDS OF WAR!" the American girl screamed as she charged after her friend.

"Oh shit," Rika said as the two girls dove into the middle of the horde.

"What the hell just happened?" Kuma asked as he and the other Pathfinders stared at the sight.

"They've gone into berserker mode!" Kohta told the man, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. "It's gonna get fun now!"

The Americans had seen a lot of things since the outbreak started, but nothing like this. It looked like a battle scene from a fantasy movie. Heads and body parts flew as black blood sprayed into the air. Saeko danced like a ballerina killing undead and flowing like water through her targets. Alex roared like the tiger she was named for and cleaved everything that came near her, rampaging like a tidal wave.

"What the hell are they!?" the Marine, David, exclaimed as his eyes grew wider and wider at the sight.

"We call them _samurai_ ," Kohta said matter-of-factly, as he turned Ma Deuce towards the school and racked a round into the chamber.

"This is what Shaun meant when he told me about Alex," Rika said to Toda sotto voce.

"Question is, how are we going to rein them in?" he replied the same way.

Twice Takashi tried to move closer to Saeko, but he was driven back both times as Alex's blade came between him and his lover. Looking back at the Stryker, he waved his hands in a motion of he didn't know what to do. As he did this, the last undead fell. The two women stopped, gasping for breath before turning towards each other.

Rictus grins split their faces as they glared at each other, unhealthy giggling filling the now still air. Saeko placed her right foot at a slight angle outward and held her sword parallel to the ground, point back preparing to slash laterally. Alex stepped into a modified "runner's start" with her right leg tensing to propel her forward. She held her sword over her head, just inside her peripheral vision, readying a down cut.

"Kohta! Put two short bursts over their heads!" Toda ordered.

"Got it!" the boy replied as he quickly took aim and pulled the trigger, Ma Duce roared. _BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!...BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!_

The .50 caliber rounds cracked the sound barrier as they flexed the air about the two girls. Alex screamed and dove to the ground trying to find cover in the pile of bodies. Saeko also ducked, but only crouched and looked around for the threat.

Takashi raced forward and wrapped his arms around her pinning her sword arm to her side. "Saeko! Saeko come out of it! Send her back! Push her away!" he said to her as his lips pressed against her ear.

The girl shuddered as she felt his touch. She cried out as this caused her loins to explode in the quivers of a climax. As the feeling rolled over her, she leaned into him and wrapped her arms around him. "Takashi I'm…I'm…" she shuddered several more times before she got herself under control.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THE MATTER WITH YOU, FOUR-EYES!?" Alex roared in English, as she got onto her hands and knees and glared at Kohta. "What's the big idea, putting rounds over our heads like that!?"

"Alex!" Toda called out. "It was my order. We had to snap you out of your 'battle mode'."

"Are you alright, Alex?" Takashi demanded.

Alex blinked in dumb surprise at Takashi, then shook her head to clear the last of the cobwebs loose. "Uh, yeah I think so," the big girl replied as she got up. At this, she looked at her uniform. "Oh, yuck! I'm covered in those bastards' blood! Again!"

She and Saeko were both a sight. The black blood that dripped from their hair and faces was soaking into their clothes. Alex started to laugh at the onna-bugeisha, "You stink of death, my friend. I salute you."

"I suppose we will have to ride on top of the Stryker on the way home," Saeko said with a sigh.

"Damn it's gonna get cold," the ginger-hired girl whined. "And Mi-chan is gonna be so pissed. She just did laundry."

"That's enough chit-chat!" Rika called out. "Let's mount up!"

"Be sure to clean your blades!" Saeko called to her troops as they all shook themselves from the trance they had been in while watching the pair.

"Are you okay? You're not bitten anywhere are you?" Hazakura asked as he and Toujou came closer. The man reached into his pack and pulled out several cleaning cloths for the girls to use.

"Uh, no, not bit, just dirty," Alex responded. "And slimy."

"And sticky," Saeko chimed in. "And stinky."

"You're just like her," Toujou whispered as her wide eyes watched Alex rub some of the mess off her face. "You lose it in just the same way. That's why Master Busujima took you under his wing!"

"Maybe, I'm not really sure." Alex shrugged, "Also, to be honest, this is only the second time this has happened...that I am aware of."

"You don't go berserk every time?" Hazakura asked.

"No. Most of the time I'm pretty level headed, but it has been awhile since I was able to cut loose," Alex said. "The last time was because I thought I had lost someone special."

"The girl you live with?" Hazakura asked.

"That's the one," Alex said with a wink.

Hazakura nodded then went about cleaning his blade.

"Alex, we will need to talk later. Maybe even tomorrow," Saeko said as she leaned on Takashi's shoulder.

Alex nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure we need to, Sensei," she said in return, bowing at the waist.

"This bunch is going to be the death of me," Toda said as he blew out a breath and rubbed his face.

"I can see how!" Kuma said, still in shock at what he just witnessed. "Please tell me this is not an everyday occurrence."

Toda laughed darkly. "If it were, little fieldtrips like this wouldn't be needed. All the walkers would be dead by now."

"Hey! Am I talking to myself here?!" Rika called out. "I said, mount up!"

Saeko, Takashi and Alex climbed on top and settled over the rear hatches as everyone else scrambled aboard. A few moments later they were headed south once again.

000

Shizuka jiggled like she was riding a trotting horse as she ran up the stairs to the command center. Rushing inside, she almost bowled Tomasa over as he came out of his office.

"Whoa Shizuka! What the hurry?!" he asked as he grabbed her and held her close while falling back against the door frame.

"I need the radio! I need to know if _Mercy_ is on station and I really need to talk to Sandra!" She replied as she pulled free and headed toward the com room.

"What's wrong and who's Sandra?" the man asked as he followed.

"Dr. Sandra Martinez, she's the gynecologist on board _Mercy_. Asuka-san's water broke, but I'm afraid the baby is turned wrong and may have the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck. I might have to do a cesarean section, but while I know how, I've never done one before. I really would like her to be here and help," the woman finished as she paused and gasp for breath.

"Got it," the Captain said as he led her into the com room. The radio operator snapped to attention. "See if you can raise the hospital ship _Mercy_. Dr. Marikawa needs to speak to a Dr. Sandra Martinez as soon as possible."

"Yes sir," the tech replied as he turned to dial up the US Navy's frequency. Ten minutes later he handed the woman a headset with a mike.

" _Shizuka? What's wrong girlfriend?"_ the Hispanic asked. Once Shizuka said hello, she explained the situation.

" _Hmm, I agree and as soon as I can go talk to Dr. Cannon I'll grab a flight. We have a ready bird sitting on the Iwo's deck so it should not be long. If something comes up I'll call you back."_

Shizuka bounced with joy, "Oh I knew you wouldn't let me down! See you soon!"

The gynecologist signed off and the doctor handed the headset back to the tech.

"Is there any danger before they get here?" Tomasa asked.

"No, not really. Not yet, anyway," Shizuka replied. "Asuka-san has just started so it may even be a while before we should start the surgery, even as long as a day. The main thing is I will have backup if something goes wrong. I've got to go get stuff ready." With that she rushed out the door.

"She sure is…dedicated," the radio tech said as he watched the woman leave.

Tomasa glanced at the younger man and snorted before tapping him lightly on the back of the head. "You just don't know," he muttered and he chuckled and went out the door himself.

000

Forty-five minutes later they could hear the chop of the helicopter's blades as it passed over the base and circled to land on the snow covered field.

"Come on, I've got a Humvee outside to pick her up," Tomasa said as Shizuka came out of the back of the clinic.

"Oh good!" the woman replied and followed the man out. "OH! Did you have to bring _this_ one!" she exclaimed as she reached the street. She scowled, placed her hands on her hips and attempted to return to the clinic.

Tomasa laughed, "Well it is named after you after all!" He took her gently by the wrist and led her to the waiting vehicle.

The buxom woman snorted as she climbed into the passenger side while he took the driver's seat. It only took a couple of minutes to make it around to the landing field where the Blackhawk was just shutting down its engines.

They watched as Paddy helped a man and a woman dressed in Navy khakis and wearing long dark coats climb down from the machine. The young man then picked up several extra bags the duo had and followed them to the Humvee.

"Shizuka! Are you doing okay?" the woman asked as she hugged the blonde.

"I'm fine, who is…OH! Dr. Holiday! Why are you here?!" Shizuka asked in surprise.

The man laughed as he shook her hand. "I was standing around looking bored when Sandra said she had to come in country, so I hitched along in case I could help. Lieutenant Tom Holiday," he said as he turned to Tomasa.

"Captain Tomasa, base commander. Pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant," Tomasa replied as he bowed and shook the other man's hand.

After introducing herself, Sandra frowned and tilted her head as she looked at the Humvee. "I know my Japanese is rusty, but does that say 'Shizuka-san, Zombie Killer!' on it?" referring to some Japanese writing on the sheet metal of the cow-catcher.

"That's a bad joke is what that is!" the blonde declared as she shook her fists at Paddy, who had just finished putting the doctors' bags in the rear hatch. "Written by a very bad boy!"

"Woah, hey! Would ya look at the time!" he declared as he ran toward the motor pool. "Work's calling! Gotta go!"

Tomasa leaned forward and whispered something into the gynecologist's ear.

"You broke a Humvee running over zombies?!" the woman exclaimed as the men laughed at the irate former nurse. "How is that even possible? Those things are built for war!"

"Oh, this is a story I have to hear!" Lt. Holiday said as they climbed into the vehicle.

"Who knew they were delicate!" the blonde exclaimed as the others rolled with laughter.

"So how is your patient?" Sandra asked as the two women got in the back seat together.

"She is progressing normally. Contractions are still thirty minutes or so apart and she has had a child before. The main thing I'm worried over is the baby's size and it may be turned wrong. If you can confirm that, I think going with a cesarean would be better for the mother and child."

The female doctor nodded her head, "I'm betting your diagnosis is correct. You've got a good head on you and are playing it smart. Come to think of it, this is the first baby to be born here is it not?"

"Second," the blonde said. "We have had one other, a woman who had a child only a year earlier, so we had no problems with her second child."

"Nice place," Holiday said as Tomasa turned out of the motor pool onto the main street. "We saw the moats; do they really do that good a job?"

Tomasa nodded, "So far they have been very beneficial to us. We do get zeds in the outer ring, but once in, they have so far, not been able to get back out and we can dispatch them where they stand. We patrol them several times a day just to make sure, and to watch for other dangers. In fact the husband of the lady, who you are here to help, is the one that designed them."

"Wow," Holiday whistled. "That must make for some nerve-jangling days."

"Sometimes," Tomasa agreed. "Though, for the most part, the worst we've had to deal with was a raid by some marauders. Thugs who thought using teen-aged boys was a great way to cement their power."

"It's the same everywhere, isn't it? The thin layer of civilization gets stripped off and we see humanity for what it really is." Holiday shook his head. "I did a stint in the Sand Box, attached to Second Marine Division," Holiday replied. "The enemy used their daughters as walking time-bombs and their sons as cannon fodder."

"That's partly why we operate the way we do," Tomasa sighed. "We try and make sure not to lose any more of what's left of that veneer."

"Well, we're here to usher in a better world," Dr. Martinez said. "Let's not keep the mother to be waiting."

The foursome climbed out of the Hummer and made their way into the clinic.

"Dean-san," Shizuka called out. "Dr. Martinez and Dr. Holliday are here to examine the patient."

"I have Mrs. Phillips in Exam Two," the medic replied. She walked over and bowed to the navy doctors. "Sergeant Phillips is in the waiting room. I had to put a trooper on him to keep him out of the theatre."

Shizuka nodded, "Okay. Please escort Dr. Martinez into Exam Two while I take Dr. Holliday to talk to the sergeant. We'll be along shortly."

"Yes, doctor," Dean said and led the way back to the examination rooms.

Shizuka and Holliday found Shaun pacing a trench into the floor of the waiting room. He fidgeted with some small device, alternately chewing on it and stuffing it into a pocket before pulling it back out to chew on it again.

"Bloody thing," he muttered aloud. "Times like this I wish I _did_ smoke and this wretched device actually worked." He stopped pacing long enough to register Shizuka's presence along with a man he did not recognize. In two steps he cleared the several meters from his start point to Shizuka's side. "Oh, doctor," he practically pleaded. "Please tell me Asuka's going to be alright."

Shizuka buried him in her bosom for a moment before pulling him out. She locked eyes and smiled kindly, "I have asked some friends from the _Mercy_ to help me out. Let me introduce Lieutenant Holliday."

Shaun stiffened and saluted. "Sergeant Shaun Phillips, Corps of Royal Engineers, sah!"

Holliday chuckled, "At ease, Sergeant. No need to salute me. I'm not wearing a cover, so I'm technically out of uniform."

Shaun relaxed slightly. "Are you a doctor too, sah?"

"That I am," Holliday replied. "ER Surgeon, internal stuff, mostly. Sometimes I even…"

All the color drained out of Shaun's face before he collapsed on the floor.

"Catch him!" Holliday shouted.

000

"Hello, Mrs. Phillips," Dr. Martinez said. "I'm Doctor Sandra Martinez, a friend of Shizuka's. She asked me stop by and check up on you."

Asuka smiled weakly and offered her hand. "Thank you for stopping by, doctor. I can't believe Doctor Marikawa made such a fuss over me."

"It was no trouble at all, my dear," Martinez replied, looking over Asuka's chart. "I was looking to pay a visit anyway and see how all the ladies were doing. A baby is a good excuse to come onshore as any."

Asuka cocked an eyebrow.

"Ah, sorry, you don't know," Martinez said, answering the unspoken question. "I am an obstetrician-gynecologist aboard _USNS Mercy_. I will be helping with your aftercare and checking up on the other women in camp while I'm here."

"Oh," Asuka replied weakly before another wave of contractions hit.

"Time from last contraction?" Martinez called over to Dean.

"24 minutes, seven seconds," Dean replied calmly. "Her previous contraction was 28 minutes ten seconds."

"They're getting close," Martinez replied. She leaned in and gently massaged Asuka's swollen belly. "Ooh, he's a big boy, isn't he?"

"Just like his father," Asuka grunted as the pain subsided.

Martinez chuckled. "I am a firm believer in calling things like they are, so I won't lie to you, Mrs. Phillips," she said, her face steady, but pleasant. "Doctor Marikawa called me over because she's worried your baby may be a breech birth. If that's the case, I will assist her in a C-section."

Asuka's face fell at the mention of surgery. Martinez squeezed her hand. "No need to panic," she said. "I've done hundreds of these things without a hitch. And with Shizuka at the helm, everything is going to be just fine."

"How is Shaun doing?" Asuka asked. "Does he know?"

Martinez looked over at Dean who shook her head. "I don't think so," the doctor said. "But I am not going to alarm him with wild tales just yet. Right now, I'm going to give you a good look over and make sure everything is okay. Dean-san?"

"Yes, doctor?" The medic replied.

"By any chance, do you have an ultrasound?"

"I wish we did, doctor," Dean said, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I'm sorry."

"Meh, it just means I have to do this the old fashioned way," Martinez replied. She turned her attentions back to Asuka. "Do I have your permission to check you out, Mrs. Phillips?"

Asuka nodded, but said nothing.

000

Shaun came to a few minutes later. He found himself on his back laying on the waiting room couch.

 _Ah, pizza night,_ he thought, glancing to the stain on the arm. It was a good sofa and he was glad the troops brought it back after one of their more successful raids.

"Would anyone care to explain why I am lying on this sofa rather than waiting by my wife's side?" he asked, somewhat deadpan, to the collection of faces that lurked overhead.

"Doctor Martinez is in examining your wife right now," Shizuka said.

"Ah," Shaun said. "Right. And, per protocol, the father-to-be is out in the waiting room with his mates. Well, then. Drinks on me, lads?"

Shizuka spared a glance to Holliday and shrugged.

"He seems to have a good attitude," Holliday said. He then knelt on the floor and took Shaun's pulse. "All things considered, for a man who has just fainted, your pulse is fairly strong."

"My apologies, doctor," Shaun said. He attempted to sit up, but Holliday gently held him in place. "I'm not usually the sort for that sort of theatricality. It's just, when a surgeon pops round on a birth, usually the mind races to all manner of unpleasant conclusions."

"I totally understand, Sergeant," Holliday replied. "Not the sort of thing an expectant father wants to hear."

Shaun turned to face Holliday, his face stern, but calm. "Tell me the truth, doctor. Why _are_ you here for a birth? I'm a grown lad, I'm fairly certain I can handle at least that."

Holliday turned to Shizuka who then settled next to Shaun on the couch. "I have a fear that the baby hasn't turned in Asuka-san's womb," she said. She gently squeezed his hand. "And, there is a small chance the umbilical cord is wrapped around its neck."

"Thank you," Shaun said. He settled back into the couch cushions. "Well, I can't say I'm relieved to hear that. Far from it, but I trust that Doctor Marikawa knows what she is doing and, if you're here, then chances of success go up, yeah?"

"Oh I'm just backup! I was standing around on the deck bored when Shizuka called in for our OB-Gyn to consult. Though it might be fun to get my feet dry since I haven't been off the ship for almost a year," Tom said as he chuckled.

"Oh…" the Brit said with a puzzled look on his face.

Shizuka smiled and squeezed Shaun's hand again. She turned her head to catch Dr. Martinez beckoning her over.

"How is it?" she whispered.

Martinez shook her head. "Without an ultrasound, I can't be certain, but your initial prognosis is confirmed. The baby has not turned over. I recommend scheduling a cesarean STAT. Dean-san confirmed that Asuka is very near nine months. If we wait, the baby will try and push out on its own."

"Agreed," Shizuka said. "Let me go and get Dr. Holliday. Dean-san will help you prep surgery."

Martinez laid a hand on Shizuka's shoulder, "Have you ever done a surgery?"

Shizuka choked back a tear. "I assisted once, during medical school, but I did handle the wounded from that raider attack we had. Really I spent most of my residency at a high school. Worst I ever dealt with there was broken bones and bruised egos."

Martinez smirked at that. "Not to worry, hon. Tom is the best I know and he can run anesthesia. He and I will have your back the whole way. This is your show. You ready?"

"Is anyone ever ready?"

000

As the convoy rolled across the northern drawbridges, Takashi noticed something as they passed the entrance to the motor pool.

"Hey, I wonder what a Navy Seahawk is doing here?" he said to the two women beside him as he pointed towards the landing field.

"Maybe it's something to do with the _Kaiwo Maru_ or that battleship they met?" Alex volunteered.

"I am sure we will know soon enough," Saeko said. "Right now I just want to get off this machine and into a hot bath…with my husband," smirking as she added the last statement.

Alex laughed as Takashi blushed. "Well I guess that means I'll be using the public bathhouse then!" the girl said as the Stryker stopped in front of the mess hall.

"Form up for bite check!" Rika called out as the troops dismounted.

"Ugg, I don't even want to get _close_ to the two of you," Sergeant Tatsumi said as he looked Saeko and Alex over.

"You have my word of honor, Chief Sergeant, that neither of us are bitten. I would rather fall on my sword than endanger this base," Saeko told the man as Alex nodded in agreement.

"I know, I know," the man replied as he walked around the pair. "Still, better a courtesy look so no one complains. Okay, you're fine to go clean up. In fact, _please_ go clean up! We have visitors from the US ship _Mercy_ and they might freak out if they see you like that."

"From the hospital ship?" Alex said. "What are they here for?"

"Asuka-san's gone into labor and Shizuka's called in some backup so…" he trailed off as first Alex and then Saeko and Takashi broke into a run toward the medical clinic. "Oh go right ahead! Don't mind me; I'm just talking here after all!" he spouted after them.

The trio arrived in front of the building just as Alex's mother and Shaun stepped out onto the front porch.

Seiko took one look at the girls and shrieked in horror. "YUKARIN! WHAT HAPPENED!?"

All three froze in shock at the woman's reaction before Alex started waving her hands in front of her. "Mom! Mom calm down! I'm alright! It's not my blood!"

"Good lord, Alex!" Shaun roared, "What are you _thinking_ running around like that!?"

The girl hung her head, "Sorry Shaun-Otōsan. We just got back and we were heading to the baths when Tatsumi said some people had flown in from the _Mercy_ to see Asuka-Okāsan. I was worried what was wrong."

"You scared me!" Seiko told her daughter as she clenched her hands to her chest. "Asuka-san went into labor and the doctor thought the baby might be turned the wrong way, so she called in some backup just in case she had to operate."

"It will be a bit," the Brit told the girl. "They have to prep so your mother and I were off to get a cup and a bite before it all started."

"Oh good," Alex said as she relaxed that there was no immediate emergency. "Umm, Mom could you also run over to the house and get me something to change into?"

"I will do that first and warn Misa-chan to not panic when she sees what a mess your clothes are," Seiko said with a smirk.

"Then we will excuse ourselves," Saeko said as she bowed to the adults. "Alex-san, Sergeant, we will check back in later on Asuka-Obasan's condition."

"Thanks you two, see you later," the man replied as they turned away. "Alex, baths now!" he ordered.

"Aye-aye," the girl sighed as she turned toward her destination further down the street.

* * *

A/N: As always Please Review, Favorite and Follow. Also be sure to check out mine and MarshalZhukov's profiles for our other stories.


	17. Chapter 17

Sorry this took so long, but it's HELL when both authors get writer's block at the same time! Chapter 18 should follow quickly after this one. Please enjoy!

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 17

 _Zday+215: Late afternoon_

After all the hours in the field, Alex decided to go get her change of clothing herself and let her mother and Shaun go about their business.

"Oh, Alex! You're covered in filth!"

Misa stood at the top of the stoop as Alex, dripping with the muck and viscera of her kills, approached the house.

"Alex? I'm not Alex," the taller girl replied. "I am the Muck Lord! Bwahahahah!"

"Wife," Misa commanded calmly, pointing at a garbage bag she brought out from the kitchen. "Pants. Now."

Alex's eyes lit up at the implications. "Is this the part where you tackle me to the ground and suck my face off?"

"No, you dumb broad," Misa face palmed. "This is the part where you strip naked and I dose you with a bucket before marching you to the bathhouse to get a thorough – and I mean _every square millimeter_ _thorough_ scrubbing. Now. Pants in the bag!"

Though it was hard to tell in the low light and generally disgusting state of her appearance, Alex blushed a bright shade of red at the insult and the thought of Misa scrubbing off a layer of skin to get her clean. Misa, for her part, stood in the doorway tapping her foot in irritation.

"Do it, or I _don't_ spank you."

In a flash, Alex stripped to her skivvies and stood shivering on the stoop before Misa dumped a bucket of – thankfully – hot water over her head. The warmth was short-lived in the chill evening air before the comfort of a terry bathrobe enveloped her.

The Walk of Shame found Alex only semi-reluctantly dragged behind Misa toward the women's bathhouse. Cheers, cat-calls and whistles greeted the pair as they passed. Alex did her level best to hide her embarrassingly, ragingly horny face as she bit her lip to keep from collapsing in pleasure on the spot.

Once inside the bathhouse, she was again stripped and doused with streams of hot water. In a few moments, Misa sat her on a stool and began lathering her hair.

"You did it again, didn't you?" Misa asked, kneading her fingers through Alex's shoulder-length ginger locks. "You flipped out?"

Alex tried to hang her head, but Misa's firm grip in her hair made that a painful proposition…and not in any fun way, either. "Yes," she muttered.

"Did anyone get hurt?"

"Just zomb- ouch," the grip on her scalp tightened slightly. "No one living got hurt."

"How did they bring you down this time?" Misa rinsed the first wash out before lathering up her hands again.

"Kohta-kun laid fat fifties over our heads."

"Fat fifties?" Misa asked, washing Alex's hair a second time.

"From the fifty caliber machine gun," Alex replied, relishing the feel of Misa's fingers kneading her scalp and wishing they were working a _bit_ farther down. "Saeko-san and I both went off-rez and I think we were going to fight each other before Kohta-kun put a few over our heads to snap us out."

The scrubbing stopped.

"Mi-chan?"

"You and Saeko-san…almost fought? Each other?"

After a few seconds, Alex replied, "So I was told."

"She would have killed you," Misa whispered, her hands still threaded into Alex's scalp. "Without hesitation…"

"I know," Alex admitted. She extricated herself from Misa's grasp, turned to face her and gathered the petite girl into a deep and loving hug. "I was lucky Kohta-kun stopped the fight."

"You were very lucky, indeed." A voice interrupted their alone time. The pair looked to the door to see Saeko enter. She nodded at them before taking a seat a short distance away. "Please understand, I do not disrespect you as a competent warrior. It is only that my skill with the sword is…"

"Better than mine." Alex picked up the thought. "No offense taken, Senpai," she added with a wink.

Saeko scowled slightly at the use of the title, but chose to let it pass. In this instance, she opted to think Alex meant the honorific for what it was, a junior sword-wielder addressing her senior.

"I thought you were going to spend some 'Takashi time' in the bath?" the ginger-haired girl asked the sword master, with a smirk.

Saeko blushed slightly before answering, "I was, but ended up thinking I need to address this issue first." The dark-haired girl thought for a moment before speaking. "If I may ask you a rather intimate question," Saeko broached the subject carefully. "I will understand completely if you do not wish to answer."

Misa cocked an eyebrow. Saeko blushed as the implications of her query dawned upon her. The relationship between the Amazon and her wife was public knowledge. The smaller of the two sat in the lap of the American giantess, arms entwined…naked. Surely, Saeko thought, her question sounded importunate and rather lascivious.

"My apologies if I am overstepping the bounds of decorum," she quickly waved off. "I merely wished to inquire as to the nature of your fugue state, Alex-san."

"My what state?"

"She means when you go into berserk mode," Misa clarified.

"Oh, that," Alex smiled. "I think it's when I am seriously pissed off. The only other time it happened was on Ikei, when the zomb – ouch – _Them_ invaded and I thought I lost Mi-chan. Usually, I'm pretty stable."

"Interesting," Saeko mused as she lathered soap up her arms. "What do you suppose set you off this time?"

"The thrill of it? It's been a while since I was in real combat with Them," Alex offered. "I was excited and scared and nervous and…and…turned on?"

This drew stares from both Saeko and Misa. Alex blushed and hung her head. "I know what you must think," she muttered. "You think I'm a pervert or a freak…"

"We think nothing of the sort," Saeko replied. The room fell silent for a moment before Saeko cleared her throat. "Perhaps…perhaps I should bare my soul, so to speak, as well. I, too, feel the thrill of combat." Now it was Saeko's turn to feel the weight of stares. "When I give myself to the lust, it...it…"

Saeko trailed off, her face burning red.

"It's exciting?" Alex ventured, her eyes growing glassy as she thought about the feeling in her loins. "You can feel it can't you…down in your core. I've heard some male fighters get raging hard-ons in combat."

"Yes!" Saeko pounced. "It's like I'm living in a dream! Shinigami takes over and I see through her eyes and my victims fall to my blade like grass before a sickle. It is this sublime pleasure that I give myself to completely."

"Shinigami?" Misa asked. "The Goddess of Death?"

"Precisely, Misa-chan. I feel as though I am her Avatar and through me, she delivers final judgement."

Alex started snickering. "I guess that makes you the Last Swordbender…" she trailed off into a giggle fit.

"I do not understand this reference," Saeko cocked her head. "Why would I 'bend' a sword? It seems to me that would render it useless…"

Misa shook hers and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Please disregard Ah-chan. Her otaku-ness knows no limits it seems."

"Ah, something to do with a television program?" Saeko ventured.

"Yeah..."

000

 _Zday+215: mid evening_

Alex paced the floor of the waiting room while Misa and Seiko sat in the corner. The two placed Megumi on the floor and played a modified version of tag as the child crawled back and forth between them, giggling all the while. Urabe Mikoto, one of the medic trainees, had come and taken Shaun to be prepped so he could be in the room when the baby was born.

"Ah-chan," Misa called out. "You're making me nervous. Come and spend time with your family."

Alex snorted, but joined her wife all the same. "Sorry, hon. I don't know why I'm all wound up."

Seiko chuckled softly. "You always were a very sensitive girl Yukarin, worried about your friends. When your cousin scraped her knee falling off your bike, you were beside yourself."

Alex hung her head, "I can't help it."

"There's no need to apologize for anything, dear," Seiko replied, catching Megumi on her tour of the adults. "That is what makes you a good person. You care about the well-being of others."

Alex smiled and tipped Megumi on her side to tickle the baby's tummy. This elicited all manner of laughter and squeals.

The girl sighed, "I just wish this little bugger would hurry up and arrive!"

000

"Be sure to watch the patient's blood pressure and heart rate at all times," Doctor Holiday was saying as he taught Dean-san and Urabe-san about anesthesia. "Tweak your dose up or down according to what the readings are."

"Yes Doctor," they both replied as they watched over his shoulder.

Shaun stood against the wall watching as Shizuka and Sandra bent over his wife's belly. He had calmed down a lot, but was still anxious.

"Looking good, Shizuka," Sandra said. "There you go, there's his neck and you were right, the cord is around it."

"Yay me," the blonde muttered as she reached in and twisted her hand. "There, that should get him free…and…" She lifted and the blood covered baby rested in her hands. "Rei, I need you to suction out the baby's mouth.

"Yes Doctor," the ginger-haired girl replied as she did as she was told. No sooner as she did, the child began to cry.

"Shaun? Do you want to cut the cord?" Shizuka asked as Sandra held out a set of scissors.

"Uh…yeah…sure…" the man stuttered as he stepped forward. A second later the act was done.

"Now Rei-san, take this young man and give him a good clean up like I showed you so he can greet his father properly," Sandra told the teen.

"Yes ma'am," the girl replied with a bright smile. "Oh he is so precious already!"

"What is that?" Shizuka asked as she looked down into Asuka's abdomen.

"What?" Sandra asked as she looked where the other woman was pointing. "How the hell did we miss that?!"

"Oh well, might as well take care of it while we are here," Shizuka said.

"Is…is something wrong? What is it?" Shaun asked with a trace of fear in his voice, the color draining from his face once more.

"No, no! Nothing really wrong, Shaun-san! We just misdiagnosed Asuka-san's condition is all," the blonde said as she lifted a _second_ baby from the woman's womb. "But I think you're going to need a lot more diapers!"

"Bollocks," the man said as he leaned back against the wall and slid down to rest his head between his legs. His head shot back up as his eyes widen in surprise. "Wait…is that MINE ALSO!?"

Everyone in the room paused for a second before breaking out in gales of laughter.

Shizuka was crying as she responded, "Yes Shaun, I am quite sure this…little girl is yours also."

"Gir…GIRL!?" the man shouted right before he tipped over and slumped to the floor unconscious.

"Guess I'll be cutting the cord on this one," Sandra said as Urabe went over to check on the collapsed new father of two.

000

Alex and the others looked toward the birthing room as they heard loud laughter come forth.

"I bet he fainted again," Seiko said with a grin as Alex and Misa looked at her.

The tall girl shook her head as Misa covered her mouth to try to muffle her laughter. "Yeah that sounds just like him!" she said.

"Well, I suppose we should get started on the welcome home party," Seiko grunted as she gained her feet. "You two going to stay here?"

"One of us should," Misa said. "In case we need to help in some way."

"You two figure that out, while I go back to the house," Seiko replied. She was out the door and gone when Rei poked her head into the waiting room.

"Ah, wonderful news," she said, wiping her hands on a towel. "Your aunt gave birth to twins! A boy and a girl."

"Lemme guess," Alex chuckled. "Shaun collapsed when he found out."

Rei smirked, "And wanted to know if they were _both_ his."

"Oh, I'll bet nee-chan is going to nail his hide to the wall," Alex replied, as she stood up. "She was moaning about it all during her last months."

"Once she's out of OR, I'll take the babies in," Rei said. "You wanna meet them? I'm sure the doctors will have no problem."

Misa handed Megumi up and stood next to Alex. "I would love to."

"Me too," Alex said, cradling the squirming one year old in her arms. She bent her neck to kiss her forehead. "Hey, let's go and meet your new cousins."

They were taken into the room set aside for post-op. Asuka lay on the bed, sleeping off the last of the gas. Shaun, as predicted, sprawled onto a couch, pale as a sheet and unmoving. Shizuka and Sandra sat in chairs, each cradling a baby and gently rocking in time to a soft tune Martinez hummed.

"Now I really want one," Shizuka cooed. "This one is so sweet. She looks just like her mother."

Sandra chuckled slightly. "I'm sure there any number of guys in this camp – and aboard the _Mercy_ – who would be more than happy to oblige."

"Oh, no doubt," Shizuka giggled. She looked at the girls as Rei excused herself to finish cleaning up with Dean and Urabe. "Ah, come and see the latest additions to our growing family."

"Have they been given names yet?" Misa asked as she approached Shizuka.

"I'm afraid dad is down for the count and mom is still out from surgery," Sandra replied.

"Luke and Leia –" Alex took a towel in the face, interrupting her line of thought.

" _You_ were not asked," Misa said, only half-jokingly. She turned back to Shizuka. "In that case, I am going to take my nerd of a wife home and put _our_ baby to bed. It's been a very long day and I'm sure onee-sama and Papa Shaun will want time alone to bond when they both come to."

"I'll send someone along to get you when the proud parents wake up," Shizuka said. "I have a feeling they will want to share this with their most important family."

Misa bowed for both her and Alex and led the way out.

"Did the shorter girl just call the taller one her wife?" Sandra asked Shizuka once they were alone.

"Oh, that's right, you didn't know," Shizuka replied, resting her index finger on her chin. "Yes. Kaoru, er, I mean Captain Tomasa held the civil ceremony for them a few weeks ago."

"Huh. I guess that's alright then," Sandra said. "They seem happy, I suppose…towel to the face, notwithstanding."

"Oh, they have their ups and downs like every couple, but it seems to work for them," Shizuka said. "Raised a few eyebrows, but it's not even an issue, as far as I know. As for the towel, I wouldn't know where to start with that one. Alex can have a strange sense of humor."

"While we have a few minutes, let's examine the babies," Sandra said, struggling to stand. "Make sure everything is okay. Care to assist, Doctor?"

"After you, Doctor," Shizuka replied, straining under her own burden.

The newborns were laid on an exam table side by side. Rei stood at one end while Dean stood at the other. Martinez offered to examine the boy as Shizuka looked over the girl.

"Everything seems okay," Martinez said, running her stethoscope over the entirety of the boy's body. "Lungs are working fine, heart is good. How about yours?"

Shizuka frowned slightly, "The girl's lungs seem fine, but the heart is somewhat weak. I want to hold her for a few days in observation and see if that changes."

Sandra moved over, "Agree. Her heart is not as strong as it should be." She felt along the neck and held a finger over the carotid artery. "Pulse is a bit thready and that makes me a little nervous. Good thing I'm staying shoreside for a few weeks. I'll examine the women and help out with post-natal care. You alright with that?"

"You have to ask?" Shizuka frowned playfully. She turned to Rei, "Rei-chan? Will you be a dear and run over to the captain and see if Sandra and Tom can stay in the main house with us?"

"Absolutely," Rei said. With a smile, she turned on her heel and was out the front door in a flash.

000

A short time later, Shaun raised his head and looked around. He could see Asuka resting quietly on the hospital bed, so he got up to stand beside her.

She opened her eyes sleepily and murmured, "Hello Papa."

A huge grin split the man's face. "Hello Mama," he whispered in reply. "So have you heard the news yet?"

"News? What are you talking about, dear? Is the baby okay?" Asuka asked with a worried look.

"Babies my love, two of them!"

Asuka blinked for a moment, "No wonder I was getting kicked so much. Two little footballers I assume?"

Shaun shook his head, "Wrong again, my dear; a boy and a girl!"

"A…little girl?" she asked. "Where are they? Can I see them?"

"Yes they are right here and waiting for you," Shizuka said as she and Sandra came back in the room with the two children. "I know this is kind of sudden, but did you have names picked out?"

"We had talked about it," Shaun said. "The young man will be named Felix and the young lady…what do you think dear?"

"Jennifer Ann, we can call her Anna," Asuka said as Rei helped her sit up so she could take the twins in hand.

"Good names," Sandra said. "We do have a few things to talk about though."

"Is something wrong?" Shaun asked, his head coming up quickly.

"Not really, but we want to observe little Anna for the next few days," Shizuka told the new parents. "Her heart beat is a little weaker than her brother's, but this is not uncommon in twins. We didn't know there were two of them and they were fighting for the same space and food. I'm sure she just needs time to get her feet under her so to speak."

Little Felix let go a cry suddenly.

"Someone is hungry!" Sandra said. "Time to get to work, Mama!"

A few moments later both children were happily nursing and Asuka was glowing. "Where are the girls? And Seiko-san?" she asked.

"At their house," Shaun replied. "Alex and Saeko-san showed up covered in blood and zombie muck. It gave Seiko-san a real fright, having never seen her like that."

"Oh, that's right they were out on a mission. I hope everything went okay?" Asuka said.

"All home safe," her husband replied. "Now while you are taking care of that, I'm going to run over and let them know you are awake. Be back in a jiffy."

Asuka nodded as he left the room.

000

"One moment," Misa called out in response to the knock at the door. She opened it to reveal Takashi standing on her stoop. "Lead Private Komuro-san. Please come in."

"Thank you," Takashi said. "Please forgive the intrusion." He stepped into the foyer and removed his shoes before entering the house proper. "Ah, Alex-san, good. I was hoping to catch you home as well, saves me another trip."

"What's up?" Alex said, literally translating into Japanese rather than asking 'what do you need?'

At this, Takashi looked to the rafters before scratching his head. "Ano…"

Misa gently back-handed Alex across the shoulder. "Ahō!" she chided. "Please forgive my wife, Komuro-san. She is given to playing pranks on others. What may we do for you?"

"Right, well," Takashi began. "The Lieutenant has tasked me with putting together a long range scout mission into Shimoda and outlying areas to our west, specifically the hospitals in the area and I wanted to invite you," he looked to Alex and then to Misa. "Both of you actually, to join my team."

"Both?" both girls replied in unison. "Why both?"

"I know that Alex-san is very skilled with a blade and is able to handle a gun as well. Plus, I understand she knows how to drive a car also."

"More or less," Alex replied. "Obviously I haven't had much practice lately, but I will certainly give it a go if I have to. But the question remains. Why both of us?"

"Kinoshita-san, as a trained chemist, we need help identifying medications and what to look for if anything has expired."

"Why not ask Sensei?" Misa replied.

"I actually thought about it," Takashi replied. "But she is needed here far more than out in the field."

"I think I understand," Misa said, rubbing her chin. "You don't want to take the only physician on the base in case something happens."

Takashi nodded, hoping he hadn't offended Misa by implying she was more expendable than Shizuka.

"Who will watch the baby?" Misa then thought.

"We can ask my mom or Asuka nee-chan," Alex offered. "I am more than certain they will be happy to. May even do it together."

"Does it have to be me?" Misa asked.

"You are the only one I can ask," Takashi said. "Dean-san is an excellent medic, but she doesn't know medications as well as you do. Plus, with your expertise, we can take everything that can be _made_ into medicines, things Dean-san wouldn't think to take. Urabe-san is getting good at plugging and patching, but still has a long way to go."

"If haha-no-giri or Asuka onee-san are willing to look after Megumi…"

"I will be right there with you, my darling," Alex comforted. "I did swear that I would protect you with my life."

"Can I take that as a yes?" Takashi sat forward slightly.

Alex smirked and nodded. "Let us talk to our family and we'll let you know for certain."

"Excellent," Takashi said, standing up. "I have one more stop then I'll swing by on my way back to the main house."

"I'll walk you out," Misa said. "I will talk to onee-san. Ah-chan, you come too. Go and ask your mom if she can help watch Megumi."

"Yes, dear," Alex chided softly, a smile on her lips. "Whatever you say, dear."

"And why is that?" Misa asked playfully.

"Because you're always right, dear," Alex giggled.

"And don't you forget it."

"So what are we taking mission leader?" Alex asked.

"I hope both Strykers, a cargo truck and maybe the command Humvee. If I have learned anything from Kohta its 'Superior firepower will rule the day'."

"Maxim 37: There is no 'overkill'. There is only 'open fire' and 'I've got to reload!" Alex quoted.

"Maxim 13: Do unto others," Takashi replied.

"Maxim 11: Everything is air-droppable at least once," Alex shot back.

The pair laughed as Misa glared at them.

"I'll talk to Mama and let you know as soon as I can," Alex said.

000

"Oh, honey, you didn't even have to ask," Seiko said, gathering Alex into a hug. "Just you promise me one thing."

"Anything," Alex replied.

"You come back to me, you hear? I will not be left alone again, not so soon after I found you."

Alex said nothing, instead burying her face in Seiko's chest and crying heavily. A few minutes later she sat back up and sniffed. "Thank you, Mama. I know I'm not exactly the daughter you wanted, but I'll try my best."

"You are your father's daughter. I love you as I loved him. Don't worry; it's only going to take me a little time to get up to speed with you and this base."

000

Misa met Shaun as he arrived to tell the girls about the babies' names. Alex had already walked over to Seiko's after Takashi left so Misa walked back to the clinic with Megumi.

"Of course Shaun and I would be happy to look after Megumi-chan," Asuka said. "That should go without saying. Have you asked Seiko-san?"

"Ah-chan is over at her house right now," Misa confirmed. "I don't think she will say no."

"Well, then. Only one last order of business to take care of," Shaun said. "I wish you and the rest of your team all the best luck in the world. You and Alex be absolutely careful and don't take any unnecessary risks, okay?"

Misa bowed her head to the pair. "Please take good care of yourselves and thank you very much for agreeing to look after the baby. I will be sure we all come home safe and sound."

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow!


	18. Chapter 18

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 18

 _Zday+216:_

Takashi smiled at the team he had assembled. Everyone from the Fujimi group – minus one certain blonde doctor, but with the addition of Shion, Giba and Kurogane– had gathered and sat in the briefing room, eyes upon him, waiting patiently for him to begin.

"At dawn tomorrow, Stryker One, the command Humvee and one two-and-a-half ton truck will take us west into Shimoda to investigate the hospital in Go-chome, the Fifth District. If we can manage it, we also want to head upriver toward Nishinaka and check out their hospital as well." He stepped up to a map pinned to the wall with several colored pins denoting their primary and secondary targets. "I understand there are a few smaller clinics and the like in the area. Should our primary targets be too hot or rendered unusable for whatever reason, those will become secondary targets."

He looked back at the expectant faces and cleared his throat. "I understand this will be difficult and we will be pretty far from base, but, with the Southern Safe Zone just to the southeast of our target area, help will not be too far away should we require it. Does anyone have any questions so far?"

Seeing none, he turned back to the map. "We will approach Go-chome from the Higahsi-Izu main road. Stryker One has its dozer blade to help clear away any obstacles we may encounter. Once we arrive at our first primary," he noted the hospital as it was shown on the map near the main road as it turned south. "Our first priority will be to secure all entrances as best as we can using materials on site. That is where our resident genius comes in. Saya, you will be tasked with on-site procurement. Once we have all the ground floor entrances secured, we will begin the sweep and clear."

"Please forgive the interruption," the hand went up accompanied by Saya's voice.

Takashi regarded the pinkette. "What did you need, Saya?"

"If all we're doing is grabbing medications and the like, do we really need to clear the entire hospital?"

Takashi mused for a moment then smiled. "No, I guess we don't. However, I don't particularly like the idea of walking into an ambush, living or not, so at the very least let us secure the area immediately surrounding the pharmacies and dispensaries. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Saya said then returned to her notes.

"As for the initial insertion, I want one gun and one sword on lead and one pair of same on drag. Kohta-kun, you and Alex-san will cover drag while Saeko and I take point."

The three of them looked to each other and nodded their understanding. "You may count on us to do our utmost, my love," Saeko purred. Takashi smiled.

"Rei, since you're primarily best with the spear and naginata, I want you, Giba, Shion and Kurogane to guard the vehicles. Not as glamourous as insertion, but if they get taken out, we're walking back. Can I count on you?"

"Without question, Takashi-kun," Rei replied smiling. "I'll keep the love birds safe."

Snickers and chuckles filled the room as Giba and Shion tried to shrink into their respective chairs.

Takashi cleared his throat, succeeding in regaining discipline. "This will be the first time all of us will be working as a team. However, we all know each other, our strengths and weaknesses, and we have worked together well in the past so I am confident that we will prevail as a team." He gazed out at the respect everyone in the room showed him, the absolute trust they felt in each other to do what needed to be done when the time came and the fact that nothing needed to be said to make sure they did their job and all came home safely. "Anything anyone wants to add?" He looked around and, seeing nothing, "Alright, be on the ready line by dawn. Company dismissed."

000

"Sounds good so far," Rika whispered as she and Tomasa stood outside the window and listened in on the briefing.

"I have faith in him," Tomasa replied as the pair slipped around the back of the mess hall while the team members went out the front. "You recommended him so we have to let him loose sooner or later. He and the others are our future and he must stand on his own two feet eventually."

Rika simply nodded as she followed the Captain back up to the base office.

000

 _Zday+217: Early Morning_

A small storm blew in overnight and left behind a few inches of new snow on the main street. Alex and Misa crunched their way through and met up with Rei and Saya as they exited the main house compound. Saya wore a mid-sized pack strapped to her back and carried her wakizashi in a gloved hand. A knit cap pulled tightly over her ears and her suppressed MP5 on a tactical sling completed the pink-haired girl's look.

Rei had chosen to equip a light belt order consisting of belt, harness and several pouches. A water bladder in a small pack on her back completed her load out.

"Using the long spear today?" Alex pointed to the yari forged by Master Kochi.

"Yeah, I feel a bit more comfortable with it since it is what I was most trained to use," Rei replied. She shifted the two meter pole arm from her left to her right shoulder. "But I see that Kinoshita-san brought her naginata."

Misa smiled, "Miyamoto-san. As we will be working together as a team please, call me Misa."

Rei smiled and nodded. "Then please call me Rei." She looked Alex over. "Came fully loaded, huh?"

Alex had attached her sword and pistol holster to her belt, slipped the parang into the webbing in the small of her back and slung the borrowed AK-74 across her chest for ease of carry. She had several mag pouches and a tac-com pouch within easy reach. A water bladder, her fighting knife and small butt pack completed her load-out. Misa, by contrast has chosen the large turn-out pack as she anticipated carrying away quite a bit in one go.

Everyone had outfitted themselves in the battle uniforms taken from the airsoft store and pockets had been put to use carrying tools, rations and other small items.

The group met up on the street at the appointed time and fell into line with the others. Takashi smiled in approval at the ready state of his team. He chuckled at Kohta who had gone all out. He was dressed for war; battle uniform, boonnie and full chest coverage plate carrier with as many magazine pouches he could fit. A drop leg mag dump pouch hanging on his right leg completed the load-out. He had chosen to take his favorite AR-10 with the barrel wrapped in woodland camo tape. Two pistols, one a Sig Sauer in a chest mounted cross draw holster the other an M37 Airweight police pistol in a behind-the-back holster just over his butt.

"Silly gun otaku," Saya called out by way of greeting as she approached.

"It never hurts to be prepared," Kohta defended. "I figure if Alex-san and I will be covering for the rest of you, I should be the one carrying most of the ammo."

Saeko and Rei shared a laugh. Out of everyone going, Saeko had chosen the most minimal gear. She wore a simple black outfit consisting of turtleneck sweater, stretch leggings and knee high boots with flat heel. Her Murata-tou, pistol and a single water canteen hung jauntily on the pistol belt she wore around her hips. A knit cap, riot police shin pads and fingerless gloves completed her look along with her knee-length black leather overcoat.

"Alright," Takashi called out. "Any last minute business to take care of before we head out?" Everyone simply shook their heads. "Then let's mount up and get gone. We have a long day ahead of us, so the sooner we get there the better."

000

Even though Takashi was in the command Humvee with Kurogane, Saeko chose to ride on top of the Stryker, sitting in the right forward hatch, legs dangling into the crew compartment. Kohta sat at the rear gunner's hatch, checking over the M240. He waved to Giba as he pulled the deuce-and-a-half into line right behind the Stryker. Alex, who sat in the passenger seat waved back. The command Humvee followed, pulling drag.

Other than the build-up of snow easily pushed aside by the Stryker, the road into Go-chome Shimoda was pleasantly clear. Evidently, work crews from the Southern Safe Zone had cleared away most of the big wrecks and pile ups the previous summer and autumn, leaving the highway free of most obstacles. As the column entered town by mid-morning, the situation deteriorated. They encountered their first obstacle upon exiting the expressway.

"Barricade," Saeko called out into the headset she wore. "Mostly cars, but this was a deliberate blockage."

" _Can we find another route into Go-chome,"_ Takashi's voice sounded _. "Saya?"_

" _According to the map, if we head west along this access road, we should be able to by-pass this blockade and approach the hospital from the north."_

" _Understood,"_ Takashi replied _. "Shion-san. Take us west."_

" _You got it, Chief."_

The Stryker rolled forward as Saya, who had stood up in the left forward hatch, called out distances based on calculations and map coordinates.

"No good here either," Saeko called over the intercom. "This road has been skillfully blocked as well."

" _Nuts,"_ Takashi cursed _. "Saya, any alternatives?"_

" _There is a tertiary target,"_ Saya radioed back _. "A small dental clinic up the road. Not as great as a hospital, but unlikely to be this well fortified. We can't be wasting a lot of time and energy moving a barricade just to get into this place. Plus there is another clinic directly east of us. If we raid the dentist, we can swing by the clinic on our way out of Shimoda."_

" _Agreed,"_ Takashi replied _. "Let's go, Shion."_

The Stryker continued west for a short time, slowing down to move aside the remains of wrecks. This far west of the Safe Zone was considered low priority and thus relatively untouched since the Outbreak.

After several hours of painstaking progress, the small convoy stopped outside a quaint little house surrounded on two sides by a small deep-cut creek and waist high fence. The only entrance had been blocked by a van, but that was easily pushed aside as Takashi, Giba and Alex put their backs into it.

Giba jumped back into the truck and backed into the driveway as Shion parked the Stryker on the street. The team fell out and stood to attention in the driveway.

"Remember the formation," Takashi said. He and Saeko took point and approached the main entrance. He made a circling motion to Kohta and Alex. Kohta nodded as he and the Amazon worked their way around to the rear of the office.

Takashi stood on the front stoop and held his breath for a moment. He took comfort in the gentle hand laid on his shoulder as Saeko stood beside him. He exhaled sharply and knocked loudly on the door.

Rei, Saya and Misa hung close to the truck and glanced about nervously. While trained to _expect_ any surprises, their inexperience showed as they jumped slightly at every sound, however innocuous it may once have been. Misa gripped her naginata tightly to her chest and tried in vain to steady her breath. Rei took to pacing in a small circle while Saya fiddled with her weapon, holding it to her shoulder, ready to sight down anything that came to her attention.

Giba, noticing this, gained their attention and smiled brightly. "Hey, don't worry. Shion and I are here to help you and Kurogane is on overwatch on the Humvee so you've got nothing to worry about." At this, he pointed to the woman in question as she sat in the forward hatch, the Ma Deuce at the ready and loaded for bear. She smiled and waved back at the girls.

Kohta had drawn the SiG Sauer and held it confidently in a combat grip with both hands. He led the way around the corner, Alex one pace behind, her parang in hand ready to strike.

"We're now around back," Kohta whispered into his throat-mike. "We will begin sweep and clear." He was rewarded by two clicks acknowledging his statement. He felt a hand lay on his shoulder and glanced back to see Alex pointing to her eyes, then hold one finger up then point to a small outbuilding near the back of the property, partially obscured by a large bush. Kohta nodded and gestured toward the structure with a knife hand. He backed up against a section of the dental clinic and crouched low, leveling his pistol on the out building. Alex held her parang at ready and crept toward the door. As she neared, she stopped, held her breath and listened. There didn't _seem_ to be anything lurking in the brush, but that meant nothing. She glanced around, looking for a distraction device and settled on a fist-sized rock. This she picked up and hurled at the shed door.

"What was that?!" Saya hissed, her sub-machine gun instantly at her shoulder, finger itching the trigger. Misa and Rei took defensive positions back-to-back, weapons at the ready. Shion swiveled the Ma Deuce in a slow arc, covering the main dental office.

Takashi and Saeko froze on the stoop, his hand gripping the door handle, sweat pouring off his face. To his immediate right and one step behind, he heard Saeko breathing rhythmically through her nose, an exercise he knew to be meditative. She was steadying herself, ready to lash out.

Interminable moments passed as everyone's nerves coiled, ready to fight. After a lengthy spell of relative peace and safety, being back in the field together brought back horrible memories of having to fight for each and every moment alive.

"Found a shed in the back yard," Alex's hushed voice came over the tac-coms. "Tossed a rock at the door as a way of saying 'knock knock'. Turns out, no one is home."

A collective sigh of relief went through the team as her message was answered with the obligatory click.

"All team members," Takashi muttered into his mike. "Next time we happen upon a closed door, call it out first and _then_ knock."

Click, click.

Takashi heaved another deep sigh then tried the door handle. Locked. He tried once more to verify. Locked. "Team, gonna have to knock a door down."

Click, click.

He and Saeko stepped back. Takashi then lifted his leg and gave an all-mighty front kick, splintering the door and revealing the main lobby. He shouldered his shotgun and stepped across the threshold.

"Pardon the intrusion," he whispered to no one in particular. The gloom was oppressive. Shadows clung to the space hiding all manner of horrors, both real and imagined. He heard Saeko sheathe her sword and the distinctive 'click' of a pistol's hammer drawn back.

"My sword will be of no use inside, my love," she purred. "Rest assured, Rika-san herself trained me in the use of this pistol. I will not fail you."

"Thank you," Takashi replied. "That you're even here with me is more than enough to steady my nerves."

"There is nowhere else I would be."

Alex approached the door to the shed and tried the handle. Open. She slid the door aside and peered in. Mostly garden tools and other yard implements one would find in any house with a yard. She took one more step and felt more than heard a board give slightly. _That's odd. This structure looks like it was built onto a concrete slab. Why would the floorboards flex?_ She rummaged in her pockets and dug out a small, two-hour chemlight stick. She held the illumination just in front of her and noticed the floor was surprisingly clean…not just free of clutter, but clean.

"I found something odd," she whispered over the tac-coms. "The shed's floor is clean. No dirt, no dust, no clutter. And it's made of wood."

" _And what is that supposed to mean?_ " Rei's voice whispered back. " _The floor is clean and made of wood._ "

" _It means someone was using the shed very recently,"_ Saya's voice cut in. _"Alex-san. See if there are any hinges or the like anywhere in the space. Check the pattern of the wood itself. Look for anything that might indicate a hatch or door somewhere."_

Click, click.

Alex held the light aloft to check if she was alone in the shed. It was small, not more than about three or four meters to a side. She checked the corners of the walls. No hinges indicating a wall swung in or out. She then pressed on each wall. No give. _The place is solid,_ she thought. _Papa Shaun would be proud._ She then got on her hands and knees and carefully ran her hands across the floorboards. There, she found what she was looking for. A large square had been cut into the floor. As she looked, she noticed a small notch, just big enough to fit a human finger in a corner. Rather than stick in her own finger, she pried the panel loose with the tip of her fighting knife.

Takashi and Saeko slipped further into the office. "Saeko, do you have a chemlight? If not, there are a few in my vest pocket."

He felt the hand slip inside, linger a bit longer than necessary before finding the chemlight. She snapped it and the welcoming illumination revealed the room they found themselves in. They stopped for a moment as Saeko tied the chemlight to Takashi's vest using a twist tie. The resulting semi-circle of light allowed the boy to use his weapon and still see what was in front of them. Thus equipped, the lovers made their way into the building.

"What time is it?" Saya asked Giba as she finished a circuit around the truck.

"About two minutes later than the last time you asked." Giba half joked, but checked his watch anyway. No point in irritating the pinkette, especially since she was already on edge and armed. "Relax. The infil team has barely been ten minutes out since we arrived. I'm sure your man is perfectly fine."

"It's not just Kohta!" Saya snapped. "It's everyone!" She took a moment to gather her thoughts and steady her breathing. "I'm sorry, Giba. It's not your fault. I forgot how long these missions take, especially now that I'm back in the field."

"No big," Giba shrugged. "And no need to apologize. These snatch and grabs are always nerve-wracking. Just look at Shion-chan over there. I'll bet she's jumpy as a cricket."

All three girls turned to look at Shion. She smiled back and waved. "See what I mean?" Giba said. "Jumpy."

Saya screwed up her face, "She seems anything _but_ scared. Same with you."

"Because we're better at hiding it than you," Giba admitted. "Tell the truth, I am so scared right now I would rather be at home hiding under the futon. Think about it for a second. Why have we not seen any zeds since we got here?"

"That…That was unexpectedly straightforward, Giba," Saya bowed slightly. "I had no idea."

"Don't sweat it, Pinky," Giba smirked. "Anyone who isn't scared…or says they aren't, is either pathological, a liar or has given up."

"Then let us hope none of us ever reach that state," Saya agreed. She bowed again and set off on another slow circuit of the truck, stopping to check underneath for any crawling nasties.

After a few tries, Alex managed to pry open the floor paneling to reveal a fairly substantial metal door. She tried the latch. Locked. "Found a hatch back here. Looks like it's locked from inside, maybe goes down into a storm shelter or bunker. No pry bar to open it either."

Click, click.

" _Don't bother with it,"_ Takashi replied. _"We have our mission. That takes priority. Go back to securing the yard."_

Click, click.

As she stood up, a thought occurred to Alex. She knelt back down and tapped out SOS three times on the metal hatch with the butt of her knife before returning to Kohta. She gave him the thumbs up and stepped back into the open.

Takashi and Saeko crept out of the lobby and into a hall. Offices and exam rooms opened to one side, each looking as though they had seen better days. Equipment strewn across the floors, machines smashed, paper everywhere.

"Someone had a grand time wrecking the place," Takashi half-joked in a whisper to Saeko. In his own mind, Takashi worried that anything useful would be left undisturbed. They reached a stairway and made their way up, one painfully creaky stair after another.

As Takashi topped the stair, a figure loomed into view. He stopped, sighted it with the shotgun and waited.

And waited.

A living person would have reacted to the light on his chest. As it was, the figure just stood in the hall, swaying back and forth slightly, arms limp at its sides, jaw slack and hanging open. Takashi tightened his grip on the shotgun when he felt Saeko's hand on his shoulder once again. He watched her creep forward from the corner of his eye, leveling her suppressed pistol as she went. When she had the 'can't miss' bead drawn, she gently squeezed the trigger. A single, muffled 'crump' and the figure in the hall dropped where it stood, unmoving.

"Team. We had an encounter with a walker on the second floor," Takashi whispered into the tac-com. "Everyone sound off."

"Kohta, check."

"Alex, A-okay."

"Stryker 1 is good." Shion said.

"Load team is good." Giba replied. "Everyone here is tip top."

"Overwatch clear," Kurogane said.

Satisfied that everyone was healthy and alive, Takashi and Saeko topped the stair. He took a moment to prod the body in the hall with the barrel of his gun. Nothing. "Excellent shot, my love," he complimented.

"As your wife it is expected that I should be able to do at least that much," Saeko intoned playfully. "Hmm, I just thought about it. That is my first combat kill without a sword!" She smiled, "But we may congratulate ourselves at a later time. Come; let us clear the rest of this office."

"That was exciting, eh?" Giba said. He took a moment to check the load in his own rifle before adjusting the forward sight slightly.

Misa and Rei hugged each other in relief as Saya wiped a small bead of sweat from her brow. "I haven't been this on edge since…I can't remember when."

Alex and Kohta had taken up a circular patrol path around the back yard, careful to avoid the shrubbery, but still able to keep an eye on it all the same.

"These appear to be living spaces," Saeko whispered out. "Looks like this was a family practice and the dentist lived above."

"Worth a look," Takashi replied as they crept into the first bedroom.

000

The sun was near to mid-afternoon when Takashi declared the office secured. Misa, Rei and Saya let out a collective sigh of relief and made their way inside.

"This place is a disaster," Misa noted. "Good grief."

"Nothing else for it but to start searching," Rei said.

"Yep," Saya said. "I have an idea. You two start looking for any meds, I'm gonna check if there are any books worth taking."

"Agreed," Rei and Misa said in unison. The two girls made their way into the first exam room while Saya checked behind the Intake desk.

"Jackpot!" Saya called out. "I found the meds cabinet and its untouched!"

At this, Misa and Rei ran to the intake desk. As promised, behind the reception desk in a small room, the sought after cabinet. Rei and Misa set to work on the cabinet locks with the pry-bar Alex referred to earlier. It had been in the truck right next to Giba behind the driver's seat.

After a few moments the lock gave way under protest. The doors swung open and Misa set to work immediately. She set her pack on the floor and unzipped the main compartment. "Hand me that trash bin, please?" she called to Rei. "Anything we can't use goes in there. Whatever is still useable goes into my pack."

Several minutes of careful sorting left a nearly full rubbish bin and precious little in Misa's pack, mostly bandages and un-compounded power medications.

Misa snorted in disappointment. "It was bound to happen," Rei comforted. "This long after the End? I'm sure even if we had gone to the hospital; their stuff would have been no good either."

Misa hung her head slightly. "I suppose your right." She looked Rei in the eye and smile. "All the same, we at least got more bandages and these powders. Every little bit helps, right?"

"That's the spirit."

On the second floor, Saya found their patient records, kept in a nice, organized space. She found the reference section with little trouble. Books on dental practice, medications and other related publications, most only a few years old. She made her way into another room and found her perfect heaven. Every wall was lined nearly to the ceiling with books. All the classics were here; Chinese, Japanese, Greek and Western. Given half the chance, she would have chosen to live the rest of her life in this room. She mentally slapped herself. _This is not what we came to do._ She instead browsed the selves and picked out a few volumes of interest to the base.

Alex and Kohta stood guard over the truck, slowly circling it, making sure no one and nothing snuck up on the raiding party.

After several circuits, they stopped to take a rest and chat.

"So, what's it like, living with another girl?" Kohta asked.

"Um, about what it would be like for you?"

"Oh…" Kohta thought for a moment. "Ah, sorry. I meant what's it like for you, as a girl to live with another girl."

"Hmm," Alex mused. "I couldn't say for sure. It's not that I can't tell you it's just, I don't have the words to convey how it's different…y'know, because you're a guy and all."

"I think I can see where you're coming from," Kohta replied. "But, maybe you _can_ answer this. What's it like raising a baby. I'm sure Saya-chan will want one soon and…"

Alex smirked. "It's hard, I won't lie. Sometimes, there is no calming her down and she just has to get it out. Especially now, since she is starting to teethe. The poor thing is in pain and there is very little Mi-chan and I can do but try and comfort her."

Alex let her gaze unfocus into the middle distance. "Other times, there is that magic, like you're holding her and it just…the world outside doesn't exist anymore and it's just you and your lover and the baby and that's all you ever need."

Kohta smiled and chuckled softly. "That must be it," he said. "I know Saya-chan's parents would be overjoyed if we brought a new life into the world. Any secrets I should know?"

"Well, if Asuka-nee-chan is anything to go by, Saya-san will hate you in the last months before birth. Don't take it seriously. I guess there is a whole mess of hormones running around and makes her say things like that."

"Noted," Kohta sighed. They remained silent for a long while. "I suppose we should get back to our patrol.

"Yep."

000

As the sun started to sink to the west, Takashi called an end to the day's activities. He surveyed their haul. A pitiful two banker's boxes filled with meds and two more filled with books. _Hardly worth having the deuce-and-a-half for this_. However, everyone had the opportunity to get outside the rings and stretch their proverbial legs, so that was worth something, especially for Rei and Saya who had not really been out since they arrived all those months ago. Most importantly, at least according to Saya and Misa, they had collected dental books and best practice manuals, things they did not have on base, things they would definitely find use for.

And more than a few trashy romance novels for those inclined to such things along with several volumes of more serious reading. Saya had made her insistence known at taking these books, citing their cultural value. Takashi had no intention of arguing the point, so into the truck they went.

"Let's mount up," he said. "And try and make it back before sun down."

"Excuse us, but may we come with you?"

Everyone turned to see the source of the new voice from around the side of the house as Alex and Kohta spun to the source of the sound, guns at the ready. Three people had emerged, an older, middle-aged man and woman along with another woman who looked to be about teenaged, clutching a bokken. "Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Doctor Sato Hiroshi. My wife, Yasuko and my daughter Asami helped me in my clinic."

"Takashi Komuro," Takashi called out. He beckoned the trio forward. Alex and Kohta lined them up and searched for bites.

"Where were you hiding?" The boy asked as Kohta gave the thumbs up. No one was bitten.

"We were in the old bomb shelter under the shed in the back yard." The older man said. "When you showed up, we thought at first you might have been marauders. But then someone tapped out the SOS on our bunker door, so we decided to take a chance. Once I got a good look at you, it didn't seem like you were bad people, well not with so many ladies in your group."

Takashi glanced at Alex. He knew she would have been the one. The girl nodded once and smiled. Takashi smiled back.

"Doctor Sato, are you interested in practicing dentistry again?"

000

The mood had lightened greatly since the Satos showed up. Now the mission did not feel like such a failure.

"So what can you tell me about the surrounding area?" Takashi asked the man as the family loaded dental supplies and instruments into boxes. "We wanted to get to the hospital in Go-chome, but found barricades every way we tried."

The man shook his head, "I don't know what to tell you, Komuro-san. Many people headed to the hospital when this nightmare started, but I see no reason why the roads would be blocked off, unless the local authorities did it to keep more people out."

"I'm concerned it might be marauders or a gang," Alex said. "Maybe they ended up in power after everything fell and did that to keep control."

"Could be," Takashi replied. "Main thing is right now we don't have the troops on hand to send in a probe and scout. I'll recommend it to the Captain though."

"Look at you! Getting all smart and thinking ahead!" Alex teased with a grin.

Takashi blushed as several others chuckled. "Well the main thing is we are all heading home safe and we're bringing what I consider a good asset." He clamped his hand on the doctor's shoulder as the man nodded and smiled brightly.

"This should be it," Giba said as he and Kurogane carried a dental chair past.

"I wish we could take the drills, but without power they are useless," Doctor Sato said.

"We'll have all the power we need soon," Takashi told him. "But we really didn't bring the tools to pull those up from the floor. The chair's just bolted down."

"Gimme a socket and drive and I'll have it out in two shakes," Alex said.

"Two shakes of what?" Takashi and Doctor Sato asked.

"She means she can have it unbolted quickly," Misa clarified, walking past with a few more books. "American speak."

"Ah," the two men said in unison.

"It's getting dark, my love," Saeko said as she ducked back in the office door. "While we should not have any trouble traveling at night, I would feel safer on the road."

"I agree," the boy replied. "We'll bypass the other clinic for now and come back later with plans to get the doctor's drills and any other things he can think of." Touching his throat mike, he spoke, "That's it! Everyone in the vehicles and let's roll!"

He was answered with the sounds of the Stryker and trucks starting.

000

 _Late Evening, Same day_

Tomasa had been pacing the office floor for a while. Takashi's team had called in they were on the way, but moving around at night was still a treacherous prospect in this new world.

"Calm down, they're no more than a few clicks out," Rika said from where she stood by the window.

"Says the woman watching out the window." The man leaned against his desk and sighed, "I know, but I'm just tense since it's his first mission."

"Maybe you need to go to the house and let Shizuka calm you down," his second in command said with a smirk. She paused and then turned towards him. "Headlights across the southern drawbridges."

Tatsumi and two other troopers were already waiting when the pair arrived downstairs as the three vehicles stopped in the street.

Everyone filed out and stood with arms out as the men preformed the required bite check. Once done, Takashi marched forward, his people standing at attention behind him.

"Leading Private Komuro Takashi reporting, sir," he said as he saluted the Captain.

"At ease," Tomasa said as he returned the salute. "Short report for now, long version and written tomorrow."

"Yes sir," the boy replied. After give a brief description of what went on he held out his hand towards the three people standing to the side. "Please let me present Doctor Sato, his wife and daughter, sir."

Tomasa bowed to the trio, "Welcome to FPB Onohira. I hope all of you are in good health?"

The man nodded in return, "Yes Captain. And thank you for coming to our rescue."

Tomasa smiled, "I'm sure your services will be greatly appreciated, Doctor, here and in the southern safe zone also."

Turning back to Takashi he spoke again, "Now, leave your vehicles where they are and we will unload them in the morning. Cookie's holding some supper for you; don't keep him or your team waiting any longer."

Takashi snapped to attention once more, saluted, and once Tomasa returned it, turned towards his team. "Fall out to the mess! Team dismissed!"

"I'm so hungry!" Saya moaned as Kohta laughed and took her arm to lead her inside.

Everyone chuckled as the group started in the door.

"Please, you and your family join me for supper, Doctor," the Captain said to the new comers. "I would like to hear how you survived all these months.

Takashi stood and waited until everyone else had entered. As he stepped forward, Saeko appeared in front of him.

"Good job, my love," she whispered as she gave him a gentle kiss. "I am very proud of the job you did today."

The boy smirked, "Thanks, now I just need to make you proud of me tonight!"

The girl laughed brightly as she took his hand and led him inside.

Rika, still standing at the edge of the porch, lit a cigar and took a drag before looking at the figure standing at the end of the Humvee. She smiled as Shizuka came forward and took her arm.

"Are they all alright?" the doctor asked.

"Right as rain," the sniper replied. "Now quit worrying and let's get some food."

Shizuka sighed happily as the couple went inside.

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow!


	19. Chapter 19

Yes writers block can be HELL, but we now have, with this one, about four chapters almost ready to post.

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 19

 _Zday+218:_

After a relaxing night, Takashi was up early and at his writing desk, coffee and pen at the ready. Saeko had lounged for a while and drank her tea with him, but was now moving around, getting ready for the day. She leaned on his back for a second, hugged him and kissed his cheek.

"You ready to head out?" the boy asked as his pen scratched the paper.

"Yes, my love, just light training today. Are you making progress on your report?"

"Yeah, I shouldn't be on it too long though. I'll turn it in and then go to the armory. I do have to account for your one bullet after all."

The girl laughed, "I'm sure the Captain and Toda-san will be shocked to find out I resorted to my side-arm. I expect to hear from Rika about it also."

"I will find you later," he promised as she left from the porch door.

The report did not take him very long; Rika had given him a short course on writing one, so he was soon finished. A few minutes later he turned it in to the duty clerk and was headed to the armory.

"So that's the story, one bullet. One bullet only," he said as Toda chuckled.

"Sounds just like her, very efficient that one," the man said. "Well it's good to have the experience, she needed it." He paused as the duty clerk stepped in the door.

"Captain is ready to see you, Leading Private," the man said.

"Let's not keep him waiting then," Takashi said as he followed the man out.

They arrived back at the base office to find the Captain in the comm center.

"Ah, good," Tomasa said as Takashi snapped to attention. "At ease. Good report, right to the point, but good details."

"I had a good teacher," the boy said as Rika came in with a grin on her face.

"You don't know how many after action reports I have suffered through over the years," the woman said. "Of course it's not so bad now since we no longer have to be quite so politically correct."

"Still need to make it legible," Tomasa said with a smirk. "We went, we saw it, we busted its ass, is still not acceptable, you know."

Rika shrugged her shoulders, "Oh well, maybe someday."

"So what now, sir?" Takashi asked, wondering what they were doing in the comm room.

"Now we have tasked a drone to look over this series of roadblocks you found," the Captain replied. "I want to know whether they are keeping something in or trying to keep something out."

"No clue, sir," Takashi said.

The communications tech reached up and turned on one of the larger monitors mounted to the wall. "Signal coming up now," he said as a picture appeared, blinked and then steadied.

"Pretty clear," Rika said as they stepped closer.

"Here's the highway," Takashi said as he pointed. "We went up the east side of the river before turning inland about…here." Where he gestured, the drone camera showed the first barricade they had encountered.

The tech muttered into his microphone, giving directions to whoever was flying the aircraft.

Suddenly, Takashi whistled, "Would you look at that…"

"That's bad, very bad," Tomasa said. "Really bad."

Huge masses of undead, several thousand, stood in the street and vicinity around a four story hospital building. There were even some on the roof. They only began to move as the drone flew over and they could hear it in the clear cold air.

"I would have taken us right into that," Takashi whispered, stunned at the size of the zombie horde.

"You didn't though," Rika said, patting him on the shoulder. "You kept your head and went around, when a lot of others would have pushed through."

"She's right," Tomasa said. "You used your head and brought your people back safe. That's all I care about."

"So what are we going to do about that bunch?" Rika asked.

"Could we call in Cowboy? Or Bulldog?" Takashi asked Tomasa; remembering the AC-130 Specter's massive firepower.

"This time I think there is too much of a risk of destroying assets we want to save," the man said. "I'll pass this up the line. Maybe they will send AFV's in there with dozer blades and flame throwers, though I would hesitate to use flamethrowers in this case."

"No longer our problem then," Rika said as the screen faded to black. "We will keep an eye on it when we get back over that way, but we'll also have to leave it alone until Southern Forces Command decides what to do."

Takashi nodded.

000

As the aircraft circled and then turned south, several undead started to follow it. Arriving at the barricades, they shoved against them as if in frustration that they could not get to the sound. Just as the little drone flew out of sight, one of the old cars in the pile shifted, and then fell to the side. It was not much of a hole, but slowly, one at a time, the undead began to filter through.

000

 _Zday+219:_

"I think we are about to get more weather," Alex was saying as she walked outer ditch patrol with Tatsumi and several others. She sniffed at the air. "The hole in my thigh is hurting a bit."

"I agree," the man replied as he paused. "Wait…what's that noise?"

"Vehicle coming!" one of the other men called out as he pointed southward where they could see a Humvee pushing through the snow.

"Wonder who that is?" the girl said as the bridge guards let the truck pass.

"I'm sure we will find out," the sergeant said. "Right now we got work to do!"

000

"Well hello there, you long tall drink of water!" Rika said as the Apache pilot, call sign Cowboy, stepped out of the truck after it had stopped in front of the mess hall. "To what do I owe this pleasantly unexpected pleasure?"

"Hello Rika-san," the Texan said with a grin. "Hopefully, pleasure is what it's all about."

"Don't get my hopes up, big guy." The woman laughed as Saya came out of the supply building. Curious, the girl walked over.

"Well hey Fireball!" the tall man said as he noticed Saya. "How you and your boyfriend be doing?"

"We are doing just fine," she replied. "Who's this?" she asked as another man, shorter than Cowboy and smoking a big cigar, stepped around the back of the Humvee.

"This here's a friend you've never met," the man said. "Allow me to introduce my buddy Bulldog."

Saya's eyes went wide as she pointed at the newcomer, "You! You're the one that flies that death machine!"

"My reputation precedes me!" He fluffed his collar to stand up and struck a dramatic pose. "Captain Jerome "Bulldog" Bragg at your service, ma'am," he said as he removed his smoke and bowed.

"So what are you two fly-boys doing up in our neck of the woods?" Rika asked.

"Well we had some down time. Both our birds are in for repair and maintenance so I thought I would just make a visit. And I brought some stuff for your cook also," Cowboy said as he opened the hatch of the Hummer. Inside were two dozen bird shaped packages.

"What are those?" Saya asked as she poked one with her finger. "Rather big to be chickens."

"Turkeys," the Texan said. "It's getting to be time for the American holiday of Thanksgiving and Christmas is not far behind."

"Oh I know that one!" the pink-haired girl replied. "Something about Indians and settlers right?"

"Yep," Bulldog said as he reached in and grabbed two of the birds. "Birth of America, natives and Pilgrims came together to celebrate the first harvest, so on and so forth."

"Hey Rika, find someone to help please," Cowboy said as he grabbed two more birds.

"We'll handle that," Cookie said as he came out of the mess hall door with three of his orderlies. "I got an open air freezer waiting out back for these beauties."

"Okay, Chief, We'll leave it to you then," the Apache pilot replied, handing the birds over to the young man standing behind Cookie. "Do I need to even ask if you got coffee going?"

"Pot's always on, Cowboy," the ex-navy man said. "Grab a cup, fill it up."

"By the way, where's Mississippi?" Rika asked as they went inside.

"He found himself a filly down in the zone, so he's hanging close to home right now."

"Well good for him," she said. "Here comes someone you know."

Alex, Tatsumi and the rest of their patrol walked in to warm up after their sweep. The big girl walked over and gently slapped the older pilot on the back of the head.

"Oi, what are you here for? Booty call?" she said with a smirk. "And without calling ahead to make a reservation, too. Damn you're a bad man."

"Here now! Is that anyway to treat your elders?" the man said. The Apache team had been around several times since the girls had moved to Onohira.

"Bah, you're worse than some kids," the ginger said as she grabbed a cup for herself.

"I could name a couple right now," Saya shook her head at how easy the American girl got along with the guys as introductions were made.

000

"So, that's what my father told me about that one time," Alex said as Bulldog described his various exploits.

"Yep, though I doubt it was me specifically, but yeah. That's what it do. We got more than a few hours fly time in The 'Stan, let me tell ya," Bulldog said, then looked at Alex. "You know about Specters?"

"Dad was Big Red One," Alex said, nibbling on a muffin. "Told me once he had to call one o'you in. I YouTubed it once. That was… messy."

"You have no idea," Saya agreed. "We saw his handiwork up close and personal last summer on our way to Onohira. And then again during the marauder problem."

"Only problem with it is that we go through a lot of expendables," Bulldog said. "Really goes through the ammo when we go whole hog. Not something we really want to do currently. So we pulled most of the bigger guns and we use Azrael…sorry, it's what we named the ship…to ferry supplies and the like. We kept the Vulcans though."

Saya sipped at a cup of tea and watched the Americans interact. She listened to their figures of speech and readily deduced that America, just like Japan, not only had different regions, but these were quite distinct culturally. She noted that Cowboy had a tendency to refer to anyone not from 'The South' as a Yankee – whatever that meant, she was sure not the same as it meant in Japan – and said 'y'all' a lot. Bulldog often slurred his speech in a way reminiscent of Paddy, what he referred to as New England drawl; usually dropping the letter R from the ends of words, similar to Japanese. Alex would sometimes slip Spanish or Spanish-sounding words into her speech. Understandable, given her home-town's proximity to Mexico.

"We may have a job for you soon, Cowboy," Rika finally interjected. "As much as I hate to drop this on you."

"Well, as long as it's you, lovely lady, I'll give you a pass," Cowboy winked at Rika.

Rika blushed slightly before clearing her throat. "Right. We sent a scout patrol on a snatch and grab to the hospitals west-south-west of this FPB. The scout reached the hospital and found the entire area cordoned off with barricades. I'll let Saya describe what happened."

"So, we just pulled off the highway and approached the hospital area," Saya continued. "Our lookout calls out barricades. We slow down to eyeball it and yep. Very well put together, too."

"Not just something that got thrown together?" Cowboy asked.

Saya shook her head. "Someone went through a lot of effort to make sure it stayed put."

Cowboy and Bulldog nodded and let the information sink in as Saya continued.

"We drove on further," she said. "Every intersection leading to the hospital was the same. Whoever put them up had the time, manpower and resources to pen up the entire area. I can't imagine who else it could have been but government forces before the final collapse or else a bandit leader without regard to those under his -or her- care."

"It gets worse," Rika finally broke in. "I really should wait for the final debrief, but here it is. Zed. Lots of Zeds."

The color drained out of both Saya and Alex's face. Rika drew off her cup of coffee. "The Captain had a drone tasked to fly over this morning. The place is lousy with them. We didn't bother to count."

"Then, we…we could have…" Alex felt sick. "All those zombies…"

"It's a good thing Takashi told us to let it go," Saya tried to comfort Alex. "He saw the barricades and figured we would just bypass, come back another day."

"So yer basically saying, someone went to a lot of trouble to pen up a bunch o' flesh eatin' crawlin' nasties…at a hospital?" Cowboy repeated.

Rika nodded then looked at Alex, "Ginger here said it herself. The first place someone injured would go is a hospital."

"Yeah, but even if every bed was taken and all the staff got infected, there's no way a hospital like that one would have the numbers you talked about," Alex mused. "There's more to it than that."

"You think they were herded inside and then locked in?" Saya asked, then the thought hit her, her mouth fell open.

"What are you thinking, Fireball?" Cowboy broke her reverie.

"Alex, think back. Remember how tight the streets were? You saw the maps, saw the way the area was built up. It was the perfect place. Narrow streets, high walls and few points of access."

The realization hit Alex as well, "Of course! All anyone would have to do is land a helo on the roof, make enough noise long enough to draw all the zeddies in the area and blammo. Perfect pig pen!"

"Well, that certainly accounts for the lack of major activity since this base was established, but why haven't we been notified?" Rika asked. "Surely someone would have noticed all the zeds."

"Because it's far enough away from both here and the Southern Safe Zone," Saya replied. "We were so busy getting things put together that something like that would not have registered. And then there was the initial chaos immediately after. It would have been easy to simply let it slip someone's mind."

The table fell silent for a moment before Cowboy spoke up. "I have to assume since you went to the hospital specifically, you want what they got. And that means you want it intact."

Rika nodded.

"That also means Bulldog here is _not_ going hot over the site."

Rika nodded again.

"You thinking maybe me and rest of my Apaches are gonna do a little cake walk around the perimeter and wipe out as many as we can before you send in a ground team to mop up?"

"That may be the plan," Rika agreed. "I won't know for certain until HQ sends word. In the meantime, I got you boys worked up for nothing."

Cowboy chuckled. "Ain't no big thing, pretty lady. I always keep in mind that I gotta fly out sooner or later to do top brass' dirty work. In between times, I keep my dance card clear." He winked at Rika. She blushed.

Saya and Alex shared a knowing look. Rika cleared her throat. "Saya-chan. Why don't you and Alex take Bulldog around and show him the base."

"Sure thing, LT," Alex replied.

000

"And this is the commander's house. High ranking guests, government officials and other special envoys stay here," Saya said as they wrapped up the tour in front of the main house. "Around back is the training dojo, sword, pole arms and hand to hand. I would take you back, but I think the grounds are in use. I wouldn't want anyone getting hurt."

"Not a problem," Bulldog said. "You can show it off another time." He glanced up at the partly cloudy sky. "Sun is starting to set. Where is the bunkhouse?"

Saya thought for a minute, "I expect you will be staying here, Captain. Your rank certainly warrants it. Plus Cowboy and the others always do."

Bulldog chuckled at that, "I couldn't do that. I may be an officer, but only field grade. I just fly a plane. I'll grab a bunk with the troops."

"I think we may have a transit house open," Alex offered. "The one opposite ours, next to Papa Shaun's?"

Saya bit her lip in thought, "I'll have to check, but would that work? Six mats plus kitchenette and toilet room? You will have to use the bath house with everyone else, though. I hope that is not a problem."

"Not at all," Bulldog replied. "I have to say, this is a pretty well run camp ya got here. My compliments to whoever set it up."

"We all pull our weight here," Alex said. "It's a community effort."

"What a nice change," Bulldog said. "Back home, especially before the End, it was every man for himself. It's nice to see everyone helping out for something greater than themselves."

They all paused as a woman's voice rose in ecstasy from the back of the house.

"Umm, I think I need to get back to work," Saya said as she quickly headed up the path.

Alex smirked as she and Bulldog watched Saya leave in a hurry. "She can be a noisy little git herself, but she don't like hearing anyone else getting that way!"

Bulldog laughed, "I think it's time for more coffee. How 'bout you?"

"I'll join ya," Alex replied as she followed the pilot up the path, spurred on by Rika's cries of pleasure.

000

 _Mess Hall later in the evening;_

"So we had just finished dumping all our expendables and were starting out of the area when my doorman started screaming and cursing for us to orbit left. Now I asked him, what for? We're all out of ammo," Bulldog said.

"That bastard on top of that hill!" he tells me. "He's the forward observer for those enemy troops and HE JUST FLIPPED US OFF!"

Everyone at the table cracked up.

"So what did you do?" Kohta asked with a chuckle.

"Well as I said, we were out of ammo, but the doorman had his M16. I circled left and he was hanging out blasting away on full auto; no chance in hell he was going to hit anything, but suddenly this deep voice came over the radio," he said as everyone around the table got quiet. "It says; _'don't worry boys, I'll take care of him for you.'_ And in a flash, the tango does this back flip and falls off the side of the mountain. Voice comes back: _"Thanks for the air support. We been trying to find that guy for two days!_ "

"Wait, who was it?" Kohta asked.

Bulldog took a sip of coffee and grinned, "US Marine sniper sitting on a mountain a mile and a half away, hit the guy with a round from a Barret light fifty. Come to find out the asshole was a local commander they had been hunting, but could never pin down till they saw our doorman shooting at him. They sent our guy a case of beer in thanks after they got back to base!"

"Wow a Barret," Kohta said with a dreamy look in his eyes, a small trail of drool forming on his lip. "I'd love to shoot a Barret someday."

Bulldog sipped his coffee again and turned his attention to the petite red-head sitting at the table with them. "So I hear you're a C-130 crew chief?"

The woman nodded and replied, "Airman First Jessica Heartilly. Yeah I fix Herky Birds, but lately I've been learning diesel engines from Sergeant Flanery."

"We could always use another crew chief," the pilot said. "We got plenty more planes than we do people. What do you think?"

"I…I don't know…" she said as she looked at Kuma, who was sitting at the end of the table. "I've been hanging around the Pathfinders for so long now…"

"It's up to you Jess," the big man said. "Go do what you're trained to do if you want to. We don't know how long we will be sitting around here. Plus you will always have a place with us if you want it. Far as I'm concerned, you're a Pathfinder too."

She looked at the table for a minute and then nodded, "Okay Captain, I'm your girl if you want me."

"Now for us to find something to do," Kuma said as the other Pathfinders nodded.

"I can solve that problem," Tomasa said as he walked up. "Orders just came in, you've got a mission."

"What kind, sir? There are only three of us, four if you count David," the airman said as the Marine beside him nodded.

"You are hereby ordered to form a group to take and hold Odawara Castle. Extra personal will be coming in to the safe zone from Okinawa and you will be working with JGSDF troops also. Lieutenant Takawa will be base commander, but you will serve as the spearhead and scouting unit when you are settled in, _Lieutenant_ Peterson."

"Oh no they didn't!" the Airman exclaimed as he jumped up. "I can't be an officer, sir! I gotta work for a living!'"

"Why does everyone say that?" Tomasa asked with a chuckle.

"ATTENTION! There is an officer on deck!" Corporal Peterson called out and everyone at the table snapped to the position of attention. Then turned and saluted the red faced Pathfinder.

He sighed and returned the honor before all his friends started to pound him on the back.

"It couldn't happen to a better guy!" David said as he laughed at his friend's embarrassment.

"Oh don't think you're getting out of anything, _Gunnery Sergeant_ Peterson," Tomasa said with a grin.

"GUNNY!?" the big marine exclaimed. "But I don't have the time in!"

"New day, new procedures, Marine. On top of that, since Odawara is not far from the ocean, you are now attached to the Pathfinders as a Marine liaison. Congratulations Gunny."

Kuma laughed, "I'm glad to have you with me, _Gunny_!"

"All other Pathfinder attached personal are boosted two ranks, and yes that includes you, Staff Sergeant Heartilly," Tomasa said with a smile.

Jess jumped for joy and bumped fists with Bulldog as he and the others laughed.

"That's it for now," Tomasa said. "We'll start operational planning tomorrow. Have fun tonight, but get some good rest. We have a lot to do."

"Yes sir!" everyone chorused as he headed back out the door.

"Hey Alex?" Kuma said as the group settled down. "How do ya feel about storming a castle?"

The Amazon grinned evilly as she clenched her fist in front of her. "Count me in, LT! Let me loose and just watch the heads roll!"

"Do you think it will work?" Gunny asked.

"It would take a miracle," Jess replied.

000

 _Zday+222: Base operations_

"And that should do it," Tomasa said as the assault planning team wrapped up. He looked over to Kuma and asked, "Do you have your support personal lined up?"

"Yes sir," the new lieutenant replied. "We'll be taking Master Sergeant Zimmerman and his niece with us as quartermasters. The Safe Zone team already has medics and a mobile aid station so we are covered there."

Lieutenant Takawa, who had flown in for the planning, nodded. "I met Zimmerman this morning while talking to the base supply officer, he seems like a good man and I like his dedication to family."

"He does have some physical limitations as a wounded warrior, but he is an experienced man and I trust him to handle his job," Kuma said.

Tomasa nodded, "Well if there is nothing else, we will have the first mission briefing tomorrow with plans to execute in one week."

000

 _Zday+223:_

"Do you know what the meeting is about?" Saeko asked Takashi as they found seats in the mess hall.

"Not really, but I'm guessing it's about retaking Odawara Castle," he replied.

"I wonder how we are going to be involved," Kohta said as he and Saya sat down next to the couple.

"We'll know in a minute," Saya said as Tomasa and several other officers, including a man in a US Navy uniform and a US Marine officer stood before them.

"Attention!" Sergeant Tatsumi called out, bringing everyone to their feet.

Tomasa nodded and said, "At ease. Everyone settle down and we will get started. First of all I would like to introduce Lieutenant Geary of the _U.S.S. Iwo Jima_ , and Captain Rodgers of their Marine contingent." The men nodded slightly before Tomasa started to speak again.

"This will be a joint forces operation. Vehicles will be transported by LCAC aboard the _Iwo Jima_ and she will carry the assault forces north to land on the beach on the south side of the Sakawa River."

"What's an L-Cat?" Saya asked her husband who was squirming in his seat.

"LCAC, L-C-A-C, Landing Craft Air Cushion," Kohta whispered. "It's a giant hovercraft that can transport tanks and armored vehicles like our Strykers. Very fast and very stable assault platform."

She nodded as she turned her attention back to the Captain.

"The main assault force will come in by air aboard Blackhawks with Apaches and other combat gunships in support. Master Sergeant Zimmerman will be riding with our Strykers as a guide since he has already had boots on the ground there before." John nodded to the Captain as the others looked his way. "Lieutenant Peterson and his picked troops will go in first to establish a beachhead before we start bringing in supplies. Busujima-san, that means you and your sword troopers will go in with the first wave."

Saeko stood and bowed to Tomasa and Kuma before sitting back down.

"Onohira troops going in the air assault will be led by Corporal Yanagiba and Leading Private Komuro. Lieutenant Minami will lead the Stryker unit for the ground assault. Their mission will be primarily to take and hold the gates around the perimeter until the inner courtyards are cleared." Tomasa pointed to a map of the castle that was hanging up behind him. "There are several access points into the castle grounds from the city streets, but according to the Pathfinders, these have been blocked off and should only take some minor reinforcing to secure."

The briefing went on for another half hour before Tomasa finally called for questions. He smirked as Takashi raised his hand. "Go ahead, Komuro, but I think I know what you are going to ask."

"Umm, air assault, sir?" the young man said. "I've never even been on a helicopter before!"

"Remember Maxim 11, everything is air droppable…at least once," Tomasa said as he grinned. Many older troopers laughed as he spoke again, "I'm kidding of course. The gunships will go in first and clear the landing area and then the Blackhawks will set down and you will be able to just step off. You are also going to get in at least one round of practice before you go."

Feeling relieved, Takashi nodded and sat down as other hands came up.

000

 _Zday+228:_

True to the Captain's word, all those going in by helicopter had gotten at least one chance at loading, a short flight and quickly unloading from the Blackhawks. The Pathfinders knew what they were doing and with only minor training, Takashi and the others fell in line.

"Not as bad as you thought, was it, my love?" Saeko asked as the copter lifted off for the last time and headed back to the carrier.

"No, in fact as far as the flying goes I enjoyed it," he replied as they formed up for Lieutenant Peterson's final words.

"Alright," Kuma said. "I think that gives everyone a taste. Just remember, get out quickly, but safely, duck down and move out from under the rotors, then kneel and hold position until the aircraft lifts off. After that…what do you do?"

"Kill zeds!" everyone chorused as one.

"Fantastic! Fall out and get cleaned up. Muster is at 0500 in front of the mess and we roll out at 0530. Dismissed!"

Takashi took Saeko's hand and started toward the main street as Alex strolled along beside them.

"You look happy, Alex-san," Saeko said.

"Oh I am!" the big girl said. "But, I noticed you put us in separate groups. Is that because of the incident before?"

Saeko nodded, "Yes. While I feel we will not fall for the same…prodding as we did before, I do not want to take the chance."

"Oh I'm not going to be listening to any voices in my head this time," the ginger said. "Fool me once, ya know?"

Saeko nodded, "Yes I do, but I also know how… convincing she can be."

"I didn't understand before," Alex told Saeko. "But now I do. I will not fall for that again."

The dark-haired sword mistress bowed, "Let us hope, my friend, let us hope."

* * *

A/N: Please Review, Favorite and Follow!


	20. Chapter 20

Well finally got over some of the writers block. Chapters 21, 22 and 23 are all in progress.

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 20

 _Zday+229: 0500 hours_

The wind was light but chilling as those going on the mission formed up in front of the mess hall. Strykers, Humvee's and several trucks were lined up pointed north in preparation to roll out. Roll was checked and the troops were dismissed to eat before the departure time.

Saya sighed as she and Kohta sat down with Takashi, Saeko, and the others.

"What is wrong, Saya-san?" Saeko asked as the pink-haired girl.

"Same old thing," she replied. "I'm not combat personnel so I can't go."

"We should not be gone long, Saya-chan," Kohta said. "It will take less than a day to travel and we should be able to hit the beach in the morning."

"If everything goes as planned," Takashi said as he finished his eggs and started on a bowl of rice.

"Big if," Saya muttered.

"It should," Giba said as he leaned back and stretched while Shion finished her breakfast. "We've got the US Navy and Marines involved this time. They don't do anything in half measures. Plus Kuma and his Pathfinders are really running this show and he's no slouch either."

"Still doesn't mean I get to go," Saya grumped.

"Now Saya dear, we talked about this," Kohta said trying to pacify his wife.

"Hush you," she said, lightly jabbing her index finger into his chest. "I can gripe if I want to. It's a woman's prerogative. Still doesn't mean I'm happy about staying behind."

"Happy or not, it's time to load up," Rika told them as she walked up to the table. "Hit the bathrooms and muster out front again." She leaned over and spoke to Saya in a quiet voice, "The Captain and several others are going to see us off. If you want a spot in his Humvee, just go ask him."

Saya jumped up and rushed over to the officers table. She pulled up short as the man held up his hand for her to stop.

"Already have you and Shizuka seats in the truck," he said. "So no need to ask."

The girl blushed as she nodded that she understood. She scurried back to the table as the others were getting up.

"Happy now?" Kohta asked as she took his arm.

"Not completely, but it will do," she replied.

"You have no one to see you off?" Saeko asked Alex as the ginger checked the load in her borrowed Kalashnikov.

"Mom said her farewells this morning but didn't want to be on the line. Reminds her too much of dad," Alex replied. "Mi-chan hates farewells, so I told her I loved her and left her at the house."

"I see," Saeko said. "But you did make your farewells. I would hate for anyone to have anything left unsaid."

"I did sen…" Alex caught herself as Saeko smirked. "I did, Saeko-san. I told my family I love them and got my safe travel wishes."

A few minutes later everyone was loaded and the convoy rolled out. Crossing the drawbridges, they followed the north road into Shirahama until they arrived on the beach where they found a Navy LCAC with a unit of Marines standing guard. Not far offshore they could see the flattop waiting.

Making their way through the guard unit, Tatsumi parked their Humvee next to Captain Rodgers and Lieutenant Geary. He and Tomasa got out to talk with the men while Shizuka and Saya stood and watched as Navy personnel directed the two Strykers, four Humvees, and two supply trucks onto the deck of the large hovercraft. Saya deduced they were loading through the rear of the craft since they entered between two huge fans she guessed provided propulsion and she could see what looked like pilot houses on the end pointed seaward. Two other 6x6 trucks loaded with troopers stopped nearby to unload.

"FORM UP!" Alex called out as they fell into line. Once the troops were in position, the girl turned to the officers, saluted, and said, "Ground force personnel ready to depart, sir!"

Captain Rodgers, who had met the young Lance Corporal a few days before, returned her salute, "Lead them on board, Lance Corporal. Follow the loadmaster and he will show you where to stand so as not to get too wet."

"Aye-aye, sir!" She turned about face to the troopers. "Column of twos! Follow me!" she bellowed as she started jogging toward the waiting man.

Rodgers and Geary nodded and shook hands with Tatsumi and Tomasa before they followed the rest. Ten minutes later the craft's engines started up and the ramps closed as the last of the guard unit rushed onboard.

Saya was amazed as the air cushions around the hovercraft inflated and it slipped into the bay before speeding up and roaring away towards the carrier.

She sighed as Shizuka hugged her and said, "Don't worry, Saya-chan; they will only be gone a few days."

Saya nodded and got back in the truck, watching as the craft arrived at the ship.

000

 _Well deck onboard the U.S.S. Iwo Jima_

Alex sat on top of Stryker 1 with Kohta as the LCAC eased into the stern of the big ship.

"Wow! This is cool!" Kohta crowed as the gingered-haired girl laughed.

It was as if they were entering a giant metal tunnel. There were catwalks on the sidewalls and heavy cranes overhead. Navy personnel watched as the LCAC eased into place while crewmen handled ropes to secure it.

"ALL EXPEDITION PERSONAL HOLD IN PLACE UNTIL FURTHER ORDERED." came from loudspeakers in English and was repeated in Japanese. "WELL DECK CREW, SEAL THE DECK AND BEGIN PUMPING." Kohta and Alex turned to look out of the stern of the ship. A metal ramp rose from the water and locked in place making a barrier between them and the ocean. They heard a gurgling noise and a few minutes later the steel deck was bare though still damp with water. The loudspeaker came on again, "ALL EXPEDITION PERSONNEL DISMOUNT WITH KIT. FOLLOW YOUR GUIDES TO YOUR RACK AREAS AND STAND FOR BITE SEARCH."

Alex climbed down off the APC as Kohta dropped down inside. A minute later, he, Paddy and the other riders stepped from the rear ramp.

"LET'S GO! FALL IN AND FOLLOW ME!" Kuma called out as he waved at them.

Everyone marched single file as Navy crewmen led them up into the ship. About three minutes later they arrived at the bunk rooms. As they entered, a guide at the door gave them orders.

"Normally, we segregate men's and women's racks, but since this is supposed to be a quick insertion op and we don't have the extra rack space available, we are going to have to billet you wherever we can. Put your kit on your racks and stand at the end of your racks for bite search. Do not try to leave the area till you are given permission."

Following the orders, Alex and the others followed those ahead of them as they started to load the room from the back to the door. On either side of the walkway were bunk beds stacked three high. She was about halfway down the room when a Navy woman waved them to hold up.

"Next three, this side," she said as she motioned off to their left. Once they were out of the way she pointed to the right and repeat herself for the next group, before moving past them to the next set of bunks.

"Oi, can I have the top?" Kohta asked as they piled their gear on the lower mattress. Paddy set his sights on the middle bunk.

"Oh yeah, as long as I get bottom," Alex said. "Hot air rises and I don't want you two getting gassy and bombing me all night long! I'm a delicate female after all!" Kohta and Paddy cracked up at the statement as they stood ready at the end of the beds.

Alex noticed two fully armed US Marines that stood at each end of the bunk room as several other Navy personnel did bite checks.

The Marines dropped their weapons from the on-guard position once the inspectors called out, "All clear!"

"Please follow me to the briefing room!" the female crewman said as she started out the hatchway.

"Wonder what this is about?" Kohta said as they found seats in the theater-like room.

"Simple orientation, rules of the ship etc.," Isaac told them as he turned in his front row seat to talk. "Don't go here. Don't do this. Don't piss over the rails. _Do_ do this. The usual."

He faced forward again as Kuma stepped to the front and called out, "ATTENTION! CAPTAIN ON DECK!"

The assembled troops jumped to their feet and stood to attention. A mid-sized gray-haired man, followed by Lieutenant Geary and Captain Rodgers came in the door.

"As you were!" he called out as he stepped behind the podium in the front of the room. "I am Captain Connelly and I would like to welcome you aboard the _U.S.S. Iwo Jima_. Now I'm not one for long speeches, it's getting close to lunch time and believe me, I try to never miss a meal." everyone chuckled as he smiled, laugh lines crinkling at the corner of his eyes. "Now I will turn you over to my CPO's and let them talk you ears off for a while. I'll see you again at muster in the morning." With that, he nodded to the female crewman and left the room the way he came in.

The woman stepped to the front next and the big screen behind her came on with several diagrams of the ship on with areas colored in. She held up a folder and began to speak. "On the back of the seat in front of you, you will find a packet like this. Inside this packet are deck maps with colored areas telling you where things are and where you can and cannot go. Note that anything in red is off limits to anyone except ship's crew with permission to enter. Next the green shaded areas…"

000

"Well that was fun," Alex said as she stretched in her seat.

"It only took an hour," Paddy said. "I've seen some that go on most of the day."

"Right now I just want to find lunch," Kohta said as he looked at his deck map.

The others just laughed and followed him on his quest.

000

"What are you up to?" Alex asked Takashi as she dumped her tray into the cleaning window next to his.

"I wanted to go outside and look around," he said as he pulled his map out.

"Remember you can't go out on the flight deck," Paddy said as he and Kohta joined them. "We have to go over here," he said, pointing to a green spot on the map. "That looks out over the land side right now."

"Lead on then, Boston," Alex said as the redhead smirked and waved for them to follow.

It was not hard to find at all. They went up two gangways and turned towards the port side of the ship before they came out on a balcony like walkway off the side of the hanger deck.

"Wow, this is neat!" Kohta said as they watched the coastline slide by.

"Wonder what ship that is?" Alex said as she pointed toward a sharp gray vessel about two kilometers away and slightly to their rear.

" _JMSDF Tone_ ," Kuma said as he and Isaac stepped out of the hatch behind them. "I got a briefing on our escorts earlier. The one on the other side of us is the _Akizuki_. It's a bit larger class destroyer."

"What are they for?" Takashi asked. "Landing support or something?"

"Oh no, Takashi," Kuma said. "There are still some hostile nations out there, several of which would love to take possession of, or barring that, sink a ship like the _Iwo_. I've heard there have already been a couple of run-ins with Chinese naval forces. I was also told it did not go well for them. Plus there are still subs from a lot of different countries sneaking around."

"Submarines?" Takashi said with a gulp. "I didn't think about there still being submarines."

"It's a dangerous world," Isaac said as he leaned on the railing, his pipe clenched in his teeth. "Even more so now and not just because there are zeds."

Silence fell as the breeze blew cool past them. The Fujimi group shared a look.

"So where is Saeko-san?" Alex asked.

"She is talking with some of her team," Takashi replied. "I'm meeting her back in the bunkroom in a few minutes."

"I think I'll go back too," Kohta said. "It's starting to get cold out here." Paddy nodded in agreement and followed the other boys inside.

"What about you Alex? Aren't you cold?" Kuma asked.

"Not really," the girl said as she pulled her knit watch cap off her ginger locks to let them blow in the wind. "In fact, my blood is rather hot right now. Plus, it reminds me of home, near the beach."

The Pathfinder thought for a moment before speaking again. "I noticed Saeko-san put you and her in separate sections. I supposed she didn't want a repeat of what happened last time."

Alex snorted, "Neither do I, LT. If not for Takashi or Kohta-kun, she would have killed me. Of that, I have no doubt."

"How would you feel about coming to working for me? I could use someone like you."

Alex thought for a moment, but shook her head, "Sorry but no, at least not now. I feel we finally found a place to be, a place where we belong. Know what I mean?"

Kuma and Isaac both nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean," the big man said. "But if you ever change your mind, the offer will still be open."

She simply nodded and went back inside the ship.

000

 _Zday+229: 0600 hours_

"Everyone up! Breakfast in five! Stryker force on deck in fifteen! Everyone else report to the briefing room in twenty!" Kuma shouted from the entrance of the bunkroom.

Most everyone was already up and packed. Takashi had been rechecking his weapon as Saeko meditated. One thing Kohta had ground into him was to check, recheck and check again.

"Time for bacon!" Kohta called out as he and Alex got into a light shoving match at the hatchway.

"Not if I get there first!" the girl called back as she laughed at her friends' disappearing back.

Ten minutes later the pair bumped fists as Paddy and Kohta headed for their APC while Alex and the rest turned towards the briefing room.

"OI! When did you guys get in?" Alex asked as she entered to find Cowboy flight propped up in the second row of seats.

"About thirty minutes ago," Mississippi replied. "Deck crew is fueling and checking over our birds before we get started."

"Okay everyone, quiet down and we will go over the plan one more time," Captain Rodgers said as the front screen turned on and footage from a camera drone started. The little craft jumped into the air before it turned inland and climbed into the morning sun.

"This is live footage so pay attention to the entrance points here… here and here," Kuma said as he pointed to parking areas inside the castle walls.

"Doesn't look too bad," Alex murmured to the pilots.

"Bet there are a lot of zeds hiding out under these trees," Red said as he pointed to the screen. "There…see how it seems to move?"

"I see you, my little pretties," Alex said with an evil grin. "Just wait my precious-ss, soon you will be mine…"

"You know you do that entirely too well," Cowboy said with a grimace.

Ten minutes later the airship turned back toward the carrier. It would keep an eye on them throughout the operation, but for the moment, it focused on the well deck where the LCAC was backing out.

As she watched, Alex could see Kohta sitting in the commander's hatch of Stryker 1. "Be careful, Kohta," she whispered to no one in particular. "I don't want to go back and tell Saya we lost you."

000

"Do we really have to wear these?" Kohta asked as he looked over the yellow inflatable life vest one of the Navy crew had handed him.

"Better safe than sorry," replied John Zimmerman as he pulled his over his head. The Master Sergeant was riding in the left hatch while Paddy drove. "I don't think the water is that deep, but you never know."

Kohta shrugged and did as he was told as the hovercraft spun up its engines. Moments later it was backing out of the well deck and turning towards shore.

"Looks good so far," the boy called out as they approached the beach.

The landing craft pulled up on the sand and settled, but instead of the loadmaster moving to drop the ramp, the crew gathered around the pilot house.

"Something wrong?" Kohta asked the more experienced man.

"Do you see a way up onto the highway?" John asked in return.

Kohta's head swiveled back and forth before he responded. "Come to think of it no. Well, that's a fine clusterfuck."

"No plan survives contact with the enemy," John said.

"I could understand that if there _was_ an enemy," the boy replied. "But this beach is bare."

The loadmaster jogged along the catwalk that was on top of the side of the craft. He leaned over and called out to them. "No access here! We are going to try to go under the expressway bridge. There is a park on the north side of the river and we should be able to get you in there."

The two men waved that they understood as the hovercraft revved its engines again and slid back into the water. A few minutes later, Kohta and John hunkered down as the ship slowly passed under the low hanging bridge with centimeters to spare.

"That was tight," Kohta said as they climbed the north bank and settled again. This time, the ramp dropped and the crew ran to release the tie downs holding the vehicles in place.

Paddy slowly followed the loadmaster as the man walked backward off the deck while waving a pair of long orange flashlights to direct them.

"That should be the Tokai-do highway," John said as they drove under another concrete bridge. "If we get up on that we will be in good shape. That's the way we came in before."

Kohta nodded as they moved up to a chain gate across a driveway. The dozer blade took hold and snapped it in two a second later.

They turned right onto the access road and drove up on the highway as the LCAC fired up and started back the way it came.

"Three klicks!" John called out as Paddy worked his way around some cars in the road.

Kohta nodded and looked back down the convoy as everyone else fell in behind them.

000

 _Flight deck U.S.S. Iwo Jima_

"Pile in and strap down!" Kuma called out as the air assault team climbed onto the Blackhawk and Seahawk helicopters.

Takashi looked out the window as Cowboy's Apaches and a pair of Blackhawk gunships lifted off and rushed toward their target.

"Ready?" he asked Saeko as he took her hand in his.

She nodded and smiled as the jet engines spun up and the rotors began to whine. Moments later they were airborne and headed inland.

Alex, who was on the second copter, leaned back against the bulkhead and closed her eyes, but her mind was churning with what if's as they rushed to the beach.

000

"Well fuck! This is a fine mess!" Rika exclaimed as they sat in the road outside the castle gate.

"Sorry, LT, but the Strykers are just too big to fit," Zimmerman was saying over the radio. "And if the Strykers won't fit, the five tons will not either."

"What do you recommend?" she asked.

"Well it looks like the gate is still sealed as we left it weeks ago, so I don't think anyone has been inside," he replied. "We'll open them and the Humvees can go in and set up a position in the large parking lot to the left. Then we will start working our way around the grounds and try to find a way to get the heavy stuff in."

"Can't be helped, let's do this," she said as John and another trooper dismounted the Stryker and went to the wooden gate. A minute later it was open and true to his word, the Humvees fit inside with no problem.

"Doesn't seem to be anybody home," Rika called out as they turned through the first courtyard and into the second.

"Good!" John replied. "That's just the way we left it. Okay, Kohta, let's go."

Paddy backed the APC back into the street and headed north as they searched for a different route.

They looked up as the Apaches and gunships roared in low over the walls.

000

"Well that figures," Cowboy said as he watched the scene below. "Listen up, everyone! We got to be careful about friendly fire and bouncers when we open up. I DO NOT want anyone on the ground catching our rain."

" _Rodger boss man, over,"_ Red replied as the gunships acknowledged also.

"Hey Cowboy, take a gander at that nice pretty landing field down there," Mississippi said as they hovered over the castle.

"Yeah…what is that, about thirty feet below the upper castle?" the pilot asked as he focused on the grassy field.

"At least," the gunner replied. "And at almost a straight drop also. You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"And son I like the way you think!" the pilot said. "All ships, hold position over that lower parking lot. Miss'sip and I are going to try a little bait, over."

The others acknowledged and moved to the east of the main keep. Cowboy lowered his Apache until he and Mississippi were at eye level to the upper wall.

"Well looky that," the Texan drawled as undead surged toward them…and pushed right over the edge, dropping almost ten meters to the hard ground and rocks below.

" _Well one thing for sure, they don't bounce! Over"_ Red said as Cowboy 2 watched the falling dead.

"I like this," Cowboy replied. "We're saving a ton of ammo this way." He sighed as he saw a few roll down the pile of bodies and start to get up. "Oh well, nothing good lasts forever. We're gonna put a few in them. Red, you orbit and watch the perimeter. Gunships can follow me in, just watch where your over fire goes. Over."

All pilots confirmed his order as the Apache tilted it nose down. Smoke rolled from under the helicopter as the Hughes M230 chain gun went into action. With a firing rate of 625 rounds per minute, they only had two minutes of gun time. But the 30mm HEDP rounds were so powerful they passed through many multiple undead and left a black bloody mist hanging in the air.

"That helped," Cowboy said. "Go ahead and give'em a go, Night Stalker. Over."

" _Roger_ _, over,"_ the MH-60 pilot replied. He tilted his nose down and opened fire with two M134 miniguns. The gunship also carried a pair of M230 chain guns and rocket pods, but they could see the heavy metal was not yet needed as the 7.62 rounds ripped through the undead like a buzz saw.

000

"Try this road to our left, Paddy," John said as they rounded the northeast corner of the castle's grounds.

"Looks a little tight, but we should be okay," Kohta said as he leaned forward to check the clearance.

The APC went up a hill that headed toward the upper castle.

"Think this is an access road to the upper level?" John asked as they moved forward.

"No," Kohta replied. "Looks like it stops at a metal fence right up…WHOA WHAT WAS THAT!" The boy ducked down in the hatch as there was a buzzing overhead and several small pine limbs dropped down on them.

"Eh, over fire from the gunships I suspect," John said as he looked up without ducking. "Don't worry; it was a good fifteen feet above us."

"You distress me at how calm you are about this!" Kohta said as he picked up the vehicle radio microphone. "Hey Cowboy! Maxim 5 says close air support and friendly fire _should be easier_ to tell apart! Over!"

" _What, did we get close? Over,"_ the pilot responded.

"Some people don't think so, but I am not of the same mind! Over!"

" _Well if we didn't scratch the paint it wasn't that clo…"_

"I will tell her on you, over," Kohta said with a finality to his voice.

" _Err, ah okay… keep the fire away from the pink-haired terror's boyfriend, gotcha Slick. Er, over."_

"I don't believe you just invoked your wife's fury on an Apache pilot!" John said with a laugh.

"You know how she is and you're laughing at me?" the boy said.

The Master Sergeant paused for a moment. "Eh, you know what… forget I said anything."

000

Rika listened to the banter over the radio as she and the group with her watched from the sidelines.

"Things seem to be going fine," Private Kurogane said from his seat behind the wheel.

"Yeah so far," Rika replied. "But we don't have boots on the ground yet."

No sooner had she said that, than Cowboy called in the transport ships. She stood in the gunner's hatch and watched with binoculars as the first Blackhawk came in over the lower parking lot and eased up to the top of the wall the undead had been falling off of. She nodded as she saw Takashi, Saeko, and the Pathfinders step off the aircraft.

000

"Looks good! Bring in the next ship!" Kuma called over his radio as they spread out around the open area.

"Not many zeds to deal with," Takashi said as Saeko stepped forward to dispatch three that had shambled their way.

"I am betting there will be plenty inside the buildings," the girl said as she cleaned her blade.

The couple turned and watched as the second helicopter landed. Alex and her squad jumped out and headed in the opposite direction to reinforce the northern flank.

Turning back to their sector, they could see Rika watching them from her Humvee down in one of the lower parking areas.

"I bet she's unhappy not to be up here in the action," Takashi said.

"I would understand her feelings," Saeko said, waving to the woman as the third helicopter landed.

000

"Well that was a bust," Kohta said as they turned the Stryker in a driveway and headed back down the hill.

"Yeah I don't want to break a fence that is working," John said. "We'll keep looking, there has got to be road access to the top around here somewhere."

" _Stryker 1, I think I spotted your route, over,"_ Cowboy called over the radio.

"Where away, Cowboy? Over," John asked.

" _Get back down on the main street again and go northwest. You will go around a bend in the road to the left_ _,_ _and you should see a small road or walkway that looks like it climbs up the_ _backside_ _of the hill. I can't see a lot of it because it's covered in trees. It might be blocked off, but it's a start. Over."_

"Roger, we will try that, over," John responded.

Doing as they were told, they found themselves passing a large building on their left that Kohta frowned at.

"What's wrong? You don't look happy," John said as he watched the boy.

"High school," Kohta said as he pointed to a sign that said Asahigaoka High School. "I wonder if any of them got out?"

John thought about what the boy was saying. He had heard the story of their escape and trials along the way. "Maybe," he said. "Maybe if they had some students as smart as you were."

Kohta nodded and focused back on his job, putting it from his mind.

Rounding the corner they finally saw what Cowboy was pointing them towards.

"Yep, it's barricaded," Kohta said as he looked up the drive with his field glasses. He could see a set of highway barriers with metal walls and barbed wire attached to their top to keep undead from crawling over them. "But it does look like it goes all the way up the hill and we should be able to move the barricade without much problem."

"The question is, can we put it back and keep ourselves from being attacked from behind?" John asked.

Kohta looked around as he thought about the problem. John had a point; even now there were large numbers of undead advancing and being attracted by the helicopters and gunfire.

"I… I'm not sure what to do now," Kohta admitted.

The man grinned, "That's why you have me. Look, the barricade is concrete barrier. We push it aside with our Stryker and then back out letting the trucks and Stryker 2 pass. Then we back in and push it back closed. Once we know it is secure, the worst we have to do is back all the way up the drive to get to the top."

"What about the mass of zeds we are attracting?" the boy asked. "They could do a pile on and climb over the barriers."

"While the others drive through, we run up and down the street mowing down all we can. Once we get inside, we'll call for the gunships to 'plow the field' and burn down as many as they can behind us. Then they can draw more away by flying low and going up that highway you see over there," he said while pointing.

Kohta nodded, "Sounds good! Let's call it in and get started."

000

"Okay, go ahead. I'll inform Peterson what you are up to," Rika said as she listened to the plan on the radio. "Peterson, got your ears on?"

000

Saeko, Takashi, and three other swordsmen approached the entrance to the main castle. "Remember, these fortifications were built to favor the defenders," Saeko said as they prepared to breach the gate. "While we should not encounter any _armed_ resistance, have no doubt that we are entering a hostile area. I will understand if anyone wishes to prepare themselves."

"We prepared for death when we volunteered, Busujima-sama," Hazakura said. "We will follow you into hell and back."

Saeko smiled and bowed deeply to her subordinates. "Let us hope it does not come to that." She turned to Takashi. "Are you ready, my love?"

"Always, my love."

"Then let us see if we are expected," Saeko said, drawing her blade, the flash in her eyes signaling Shinigami's return. "It would be unseemly to keep our hosts waiting."

000

"Give me the pry bar will ya?" Alex called out to a trooper on her squad. She had trained with him a few times, but could never remember his name. She took the proffered tool and gently eased it into the jamb of a door. Toujou covered the rear, her blade drawn, ready to cut.

"And…got it," Alex said as the old wood gave out with a splintering crack. She held the bar in a striking grip, ready to smash anything that got in her way. She peered into the gloom and whistled loudly.

Seconds passed in silence. As Alex was about to step inside, a form shambled into view and attempted to grab her. In a slight panic, she brought the prybar down on the creature's head, smashing rotten bone with a sickening crunch.

"Yuck," she spat. "I hate when they're juicy like that." She returned the bar to her trooper and shouldered the Kalashnikov as she slid the fire select switch to semi-auto.

Behind her, another trooper flicked on a powerful flashlight and slowly swept the room. A minor supply room, based on the various tools and the like adorning the walls and tables.

"See anything?" Toujou whispered as she brought up the rear.

"Nada," Alex hissed back. "Don't mean anything, though." She led the way to a larger door. This one gave with minimal effort. The fire team found itself in a mid-sized courtyard, several meters square and flanked on all sides by high walls. Cowboy flight swept overhead, leading the Blackhawks as they patrolled the skies.

"Contact rear," Toujou said. "From a side room."

"It's all yours," Alex said, still keeping her eye on the door in front of her. "Be careful."

The whistle of steel and a satisfied grunt filled the air just before the heavy sound of undead flesh hitting the ground filled the air.

"Now, I wonder what's behind door number two," Alex muttered as she approached.

" _Peterson to Schweiger, over."_

The girl paused and touched her throat control, "Go ahead, Boss-man, over."

" _Take half of your squad and turn the rest over to Toujou. Proceed northwest past the north side of the castle and recon down the access road you should see there. Down that, you should find the Strykers and trucks working their way through a barricade. Set security for them and make sure there are no stragglers. Follow them back when the road is secure and resume clearing. Repeat, over."_

"He means the tower, not the castle," Toujou said as Alex frowned.

The girl nodded as she repeated the orders and acknowledged them. "It's your show for a while, be careful and keep everyone safe," she told the older woman.

"I relieve you," Toujou said as Alex saluted her and headed out with her picked half of the squad. The woman watched with a smirk as they left. She prodded the girl on a regular basis, but, to be honest, she really liked her and admired her fighting prowess.

Alex and the five troopers turned right as they exited the building and jogged around the side. With the main tower on their left, she found the access road where it should be.

The first thing she noticed was a walking path off to the left that went down the hillside behind the main keep. Turning to two of her people, she motioned to her eyes and then pointed down the path. The pair nodded, repeated her motions and quietly slipped away. Alex motioned for the rest to follow and headed down the road further only to find a driveway going off to the left and down the hill. She sighed and motioned for two more men to reconnoiter before she and the final team member proceeded.

A couple of hundred meters down, they found where the barricade had been shoved aside and the two 6x6 trucks were making their way up the hill with Stryker 2 following.

Moving to the edge of the lane, they let the trucks pass and she called up to the gunner on the APC as they came abreast.

"Where's Stryker 1?"

The man pointed over towards the highway that ran behind the castle grounds. "Plowing the road to keep the zeds off while we got inside," he told her. "We are to hold up here until they back in and close the barricade."

Alex frowned as she saw the buttoned up vehicle roar down the road tossing bodies high as it passed. She keyed her mic, "Kohta, can you read me, over."

" _Loud and clear, over,"_ the boy replied.

"You've got riders we are going to have to clear before you can open up," she told him as she watch undead crawl around the top of the APC.

" _Roger,"_ he replied. _"When we get done can you scratch our back and clear them off? Wait until we get back to the end of the access road, though. We will have to open up there to be able to back in. Over."_

"Roger," the girl responded as the second pair of troopers jogged back up.

"Road goes down into what looks like a maintenance or storage area. Long metal buildings down under the highway bridge, with lots of roll up doors. We didn't do a detailed search, but we didn't see any zeds in the open areas. Plus with all the noise the APC is making, any down there would be headed our way already. Plenty of room for a Stryker to turn around if you want to send it on down in there."

The girl nodded and looked up at the gunner, "Run down that side road and see if you draw any interest!"

He waved that he understood and the APC rumbled away at just more than a walking pace as the first set of trooper ran up.

"Reporting!" one said. "We followed the path about three hundred meters around to a children's amusement ride area. We did not see any undead, but it will need to be walked with a larger patrol group to be sure it is clear."

"Keep an eye out behind us for now then," she told them. "Once we finish with the Stryker, I'll call higher and see what they want to do about it." The men nodded and turned their back to her to watch up the road.

"Are you close to done yet? Over," she asked as the now slimy machine raced back by in a shower of black blood and gore.

" _That should do it,"_ Kohta replied. _"Clear us off and we will open up, over."_

"Clear their deck," she told her people as they jogged down closer to the machine. "Full auto at first and then we will pick off any we have too."

The undead jerked and flew off the Stryker as the patrol's rifles hammered away. Alex was grinning for around the first twenty or so shots before her Kalashnikov clicked empty.

"Fuck," she muttered as she dug into her pouches for more, but to no avail. "I'm dry!" she called into the radio. "Switching to primary melee."

"Looks like we got them all," one of the others said as they ceased fire.

She nodded. "You can open up now, Kohta," she called over the radio.

The forward hatch opened and the boy stuck his head out and looked around before exposing himself further. One of the rear hatches opened a minute later and John began to give the driver directions for backing up the drive.

Five minutes later they had pushed the barricade back in place and Kohta was leaning over looking down at his decidedly disgruntled friend.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"My Sweet Korra ain't got no more food," she said as she hugged her AK.

He frowned and shook his head as he responded, "Toda-san told you we only had so much ammo for that thing. If you can't shoot with it, give it here."

He held his hand out as she pouted, but handed over the rifle.

"Now, I'm going to _loan_ you this, but if you hurt it – so much as breath on her wrong - you will have to answer to me _and_ Rika," he said as he pulled his AR-10 out of the hatch and gave it to her with a bandolier of magazines.

"Ooooooooo!" Alex cooed. "This is almost as good as smexy gun! Well if it was full auto that is."

Kohta started to respond but paused and touched the side of his crew helmet. "Stryker 2 says that side road you had them check out is clear. No undead in sight."

The girl nodded as she checked over her new toy. "We have another path to check once we get back up top, but we should be clear from here up."

"Right. Well let's get to backing this thing up and find out what we are going to do next," he said.

000

Once they were in front of the main keep, the rest of Alex's squad showed up and they went down the path to the amusement area. They only found a couple of zeds that were stuck behind fences and they dispatched them quickly.

"Looks like things are quieting down," Alex said as she walked up to Takashi and Saeko.

"Once the helicopters cleared out the larger group, there was only a few dozen to deal with. Well, that and the ones that were trapped in buildings," Takashi said.

"Have we lost anybody?" the red-head asked.

"No, not so far," the boy replied. "Hopefully, it will stay that…" He trailed off as he focused on something behind Alex. "What the hell is that?"

Turning around, she looked where he was pointing. Up on the roof of the tower, several childlike figures scurried around before climbing down the side of the building and racing across the open area to the nearby trees.

"Macaque monkeys," Lieutenant Takawa said as he walked over to where they stood. "There used to be a small zoo on the castle grounds with some big cats and even an elephant. Several years ago they were all moved out except for a group of monkeys kept in the cage over there." He motioned to a round wire enclosure near the drop-off. "Apparently someone had the good sense to open the doors before everything went to hell. The problem is though they have taken up residence at the top of the tower and we have to run them off as we clear."

"They don't throw poop do they?" Alex asked with a grimace.

The man chuckled. "I don't know for sure, but I think I read it is more apes, chimpanzees and such, that do that. I'm sure we will find out since we will have to share this post with them."

"So what now, LT?" Alex asked.

The Lieutenant pulled out his map of the grounds. "You and Komuro take your squads and start to work your way down the hill to hook up with Lieutenant Minami and the Humvees. Check on any buildings along the way, but hold up on clearing them as of yet."

"Aye-aye, sir," the girl said as she and Takashi saluted and turned to do his bidding.

"Follow me," Alex told the group once they had gathered together. "I saw the downhill paths when we cleared the amusement area."

It did not take long before the squads were at the bottom of the hill since all the undead had either climbed up the hill to get at the noise of the fighting, or gone down the hill to hunt for the sounds of the trucks and Humvees.

Saeko walked next to Alex as Takashi fell back and helped watch the rear.

"I thought you wanted us separated during this op?" the Lance Corporal asked the onna-bugeisha.

"That was my plan, but with the amount of combat we have seen I do not think losing ourselves in the rage will be a problem this time," Saeko replied.

"Yeah, thanks to how Cowboy and company handled it, it has been rather light," the other girl agreed. "Not that I'm complaining. I'm sure there will be plenty trying to get in for quite some time to come."

"It seems we have some customers now," the dark-haired sword welder said as they found a group of around thirty or so undead at the gates to the lower levels.

"Hmm, unless you just are in the mood to get dirty and nasty today, how about we handle this at range?" Alex said.

Saeko thought for a moment before nodding, "I agree. I have already wet my blade several times today, so I do not feel the need."

Alex nodded and began to issue orders. They quickly formed two ranks: one kneeling, one standing. On her command rifles cracked and within a minute, all the zeds were down.

"I wouldn't mind being able to fight this way all the time," Takashi said as he stood beside the girls.

"But that would be so boring, my love," Saeko smirked as she leaned against his shoulder.

Alex smiled as she unlocked the wooden gates, now with zombie blood and brains on them as well as bullet holes, and opened them to find Rika waiting impatiently in the hatch of her truck.

"About damned time you showed up," the woman grumbled as she climbed down. "What's the sitrep?"

"Castle is eighty percent contained," Takashi reported. "We are now concentrating on buildings and warehouses."

"Well these lots are cleared all the way to the entrance," Rika said. "Zimmerman said those buildings over there were cleared out last time they were here and they used to sleep in them," she told them as she motioned at the said buildings on the south side of the lot. "Can we get the Humvees up the hill from here?"

Takashi shook his head, "No. You could get through the gate and maybe to the top, but the path is very narrow and it would be best to go around to the way the Strykers came up. But, that takes moving a different barricade and putting it back in place, which is a whole 'nother problem in itself."

"To be honest, this would be better for a car park once they make a way to get the trucks and Strykers in and out," Alex said as she looked around.

" _Our_ Strykers and trucks are not staying," Rika said. "They will need to find their own. Right now I want to go up and talk with the others on what they want to do next."

The teens nodded as the woman set guards for the area and started up the hill.

* * *

A/N: As Always, Please Review, Favorite and Follow!

EN: 1st Posted 1/26/16


	21. Chapter 21

A lot to say but I hate to clutter up the heading. Please check the Author's Note below.

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

Chapter 21

 _Zday+230: 0700 hours_

Saeko came out of the building they were using as a barracks intent on heading to where the mess hall had been set up. She had taken the time to meditate a short while before the missions of the day and this put her behind the rest. She stopped and smirked as she saw a scene that, to be honest, she was not really surprised at.

"I see you made a new friend," she said as she walked over to where Alex was sitting with a half grown monkey on her lap getting his belly scratched.

"Well I was eating some dried fruit and he came easing up and started begging. I figured some of them are about half tame so I gave him a treat and now he's all friendly," the girl said.

Saeko smiled as she looked down at the primate who was grinning and happily munching on his snack. "He is very cute, but we should be getting ready for our day."

"Yeah I know," Alex said as she picked the little fellow up and sat him on the ground. "Go on now and find your friends."

The Macaque chittered as if to say thanks and scampered away toward the trees.

"Makes me wonder about other animals," the red-head said. "What happened to all the ones locked away into the zoos?"

"I do not know," the sword wielder replied. "It pains me to think that such beautiful creatures died of starvation in their pens after the fall. I know it has been discussed that we acquire cattle and pigs for the farms to raise. Horses were brought up also, but I do not know where we stand on that at this time."

"Oh well, it's above my pay grade at the moment," Alex said as she stretched her arms behind her head.

They arrived at the mess just as Kuma stood up and said, "Everyone on rotation for today's ops be in the meeting hall in ten." With that, he and Isaac marched out.

"Better eat quickly," Takashi told them as they sat at the table with the boys. "We've got a long day ahead."

The two girls did as he suggested and walked after him to the main keep afterward.

Saeko looked around as they knelt in the open hall. The lower level of the _tenshu,_ or main keep tower, had been an exhibit space during the castle's time as a museum. The display cases on the main floor had been pushed back to the walls to open it up for meetings. Plans were to store the artifacts away since they were of no current use to the survivors. What interested Saeko, though, was on the upper floors.

Up on levels three and four were several sets of samurai armor.

 _But that is for another time._ She thought as Kuma stood in front of them.

"There are two disaster shelter warehouses in the city," he said pointing to a map hanging on the wall. "We don't know if they have been opened or raided, but that is what we will find out today. Lieutenant Minami's Humvees and Strykers will roll in and set a perimeter while two squads will insert by helicopter. Whether or not we land nearby or set down on the roof will be determined when Rika's force gets on site."

Alex raised her hand and Kuma motioned to her. "Do we know for sure there is roof access? I would rather land there and then go in. That way we will be above any Zeds and can look down on them before taking them out."

"Yes, all the buildings have roof access," the man replied.

The girl nodded as the men went on with the briefing. As she watched though, she noticed Saeko's eyes seemed to continually drift upwards toward the upper levels of the tower. _I know what's up there,_ Alex thought. _I wonder, what is she thinking?_

As they wrapped up Lieutenant Takawa call out to Saeko, "Busujima-san? May we speak with you for a moment?"

Nodding to Takashi that she would meet him outside, she approached the man. "How may I help, Lieutenant?"

"Let's walk upstairs," he said.

She followed and on arriving on the third level, she found Rika and Kuma waiting next to the very objects of her thoughts. "May I ask what this is about?" she said.

Takawa sighed, "It has been decided that something must be done with the exhibits currently in the tower. That being said we also feel that with your classical training, you are the best person to advise us on how to proceed. We also feel it would be best if the armor went back to Onohira with you. Any other items you deem historically worthy would be shipped to you or somewhere of your choosing when things get more settled."

Saeko bit her lip slightly and let her eyes wander over the laminated plates of the Edo Era suits. Glancing over the side of the platform, she also looked over the cases of display items pushed to one side of the lower floor. "I think we can go through the exhibit case quickly, as I have noticed many of those items are reproductions or replicas. Oddly enough there were no weapons here." She stopped and let her hand drift over the front of the armor clad mannequin in front of her. "This one, however, I feel might be of use in the future. I would like to test its effectiveness against the undead myself at some time, but before that it must be disassembled, cleaned and all new ties installed before I would trust it to hold up in battle."

"It won't stop a bullet, but I can see where it would stand up to the Zeds pretty well," Rika said.

"But right now, with the condition the joints are in," Saeko shook her head as she tugged on one and it broke in her hand. "I would not even want to put this on. It will take many months of reconditioning before it could be used. But," she said with a smile. "I will accept the job of doing so, with your permission, of course, Rika-san."

"Oh yeah," the older woman said. "You're the expert, or as close to one as we have in this. Do what you wish."

The girl smiled, "Then when we get back from the mission, I will arrange for these to be packed away and readied for transport when we leave."

000

 _Two hours later in the skies above one of the disaster warehouses:_

" _Roger_ _,_ _Blackdog_ _;_ _I see a group of about thirty tangos massed on the north side of the warehouse. Give me a minute and we will hose them down for you. Over"_

Takashi and the others listened over their headsets as the Blackhawk gunships handled clearing the enclosed lot around the warehouse while Cowboy Flight flew top cover up high in case they were needed.

"Two minutes to drop off!" Giba called out as he waved his hand where everyone could see him.

Takashi nodded and squeezed Saeko's hand as he felt the helicopter start to lose altitude.

"Be careful, my love," she said as she checked her equipment once more.

"You too," he replied.

"Open the door!" Giba called out as the machine hovered in the air next to the building.

The pilot placed the right side wheel on top of the roof and held the Blackhawk in place as the troops poured out the door. He paused there for a minute, making sure everyone was away before lifting up and rolling to his left, diving away from their landing site.

Unlike the first disaster warehouse they raided months ago, this building was brick with a flat top and a curtain wall around the edge. Along with the normal air-conditioner and other mechanical equipment found on roofs, there was an entry door that led down inside the building.

"Pop it," Giba ordered one of the troopers that held a crowbar. Seconds later the door was open and the man was pointing his suppressed pistol down the dark stairwell.

"I will take it from here, Giba-san," Saeko said as she and Takashi stepped forward. She unsheathed her sword and started in as Takashi clicked on a flashlight, holding it overhead and pointing it ahead of her, a suppressed pistol in his other hand.

The others queued up behind them as the onna-bugeisha moved forward into the darkness.

Two flights later, the girl stepped out onto a metal catwalk that extended either way into the gloom. Thanks to light from skylights, looking over the side she could see the concrete floor about five meters below.

Not seeing any undead on the catwalk with them, Takashi turned to Giba and asked, "Looks clear up here, what do you want to do?"

The other man smirked and held up several large ball-bearings in his hand. Reaching out over the edge, he dropped one and watched it bounce around below them with a loud, clear 'ping'.

Takashi nodded and smiled as several zeds groaned and shuffled toward the metal on stone sound.

Holding up his suppressed pistol, Giba grinned. "Death from above!" he declared as he leaned over and popped a round into the head of one of the undead.

Takashi and several others laughed as they followed suit. Soon all the undead in sight were in a pile on the floor.

"There are metal stairways down on either side," one of the other troopers told them.

Giba nodded, "Okay, we split into two groups. Takashi you take command of the second. We'll work our way down and do a search and clear of the main floor. Everyone be careful and don't shoot anybody from our side."

Saeko took point with Takashi behind her as four others fell in behind them. Giba and rest went the other way.

An hour later they met back in the center of the building.

"All clear as far as we can see," Takashi said. "We made sure to check the generator and basement rooms also."

"Good," replied Giba. "Now we just wait for the word that Team Two is done."

000

 _Across the city:_

The second disaster center was not a single building like the first. It had one large central building, but also included half a dozen smaller building and garages.

That is where the problem came in.

"Damn! We're in a tight spot!" Alex hissed as she and her team found themselves surrounded and cut off in a remote vehicle storage building. She had signaled a quick quiet and her troopers all held their blades edge out as they formed into a tight box against a wall. Close to two dozen zeds shambled between them and the exit they had come in.

Shambling towards them.

 _We're getting low on ammo,_ Alex thought as her head swiveled back and forth looking for a better way than to fight the undead that put her people in jeopardy. As packed together as the troopers were, they ran a real danger of hitting each other with bouncing ricochets or missed blade strikes.

Toujou gently slipped a hand into one of her vest pockets, careful to avoid making any noise. She pulled out a somewhat battered cardboard box and held it for Alex to see.

Alex smirked and nodded. Toujou then pulled one of the small, white pellet-shaped items from the sawdust packaging and threw it against a far wall. The small pop drew the attention of the twenty or so zombies, enough for Toujou and one other trooper to remove several heads.

Agonizing minutes passed as this process repeated three more times before the group could gain enough fighting room to clear the rest out with greater ease.

"Sound off!" Alex called as the last body hit the floor. She counted all her troopers, safe and sound. "Alright. Bite check." She then carefully searched each trooper in turn before she submitted to Toujou.

"You are bite free, squad-leader," she said, smiling and gently clapping a hand on Alex's shoulder.

The girl heaved a huge sigh. "Damn! That was close. I never want to have that happen again."

"I agree," Toujou said. "That could have gone so horribly wrong so quickly. I am thankful I thought to grab those poppers when I did."

"Alright. While we have a few minutes, I want to work out why that happened in the first place. We're better than that. How did we get caught so easily?"

"If I may," Toujou said. "I believe we got ahead of ourselves."

Alex cocked an eyebrow. "Okay. Explain what you mean by that."

"We were sufficiently anxious enough to want this section cleared that we simply blundered into this," Toujou said, sweeping her arm around. "A common enough mistake in any endeavor. You want an objective completed, particularly as the day comes to an end and you get a little lazy."

"Lazy," Alex said, chewing on the word. "You think we got a bit lazy?"

"It is the most likely explanation," Toujou said. "As you said, we are better than this. We are all expertly trained and more than experienced. This was not a rookie mistake. We simply got tired and so got lazy."

Alex fell silent as she considered Toujou's words. She spared several glances to the windows and noted the sun was already well to the west, shadows lengthening as she stood there. "Sounds good to me. I'll let Ops know we are running out of steam and we need to consolidate what we got before we wrap up in the morning. Thank you for that assessment."

000

"Lazy?" Kuma stood next to Rika as Alex radioed in her after action report. "That doesn't sound like her."

Rika smirked, "It's not. I've worked with her enough to know that she's just tired, but doesn't want to admit it." She sighed deeply, "Still trying to live up to her old man."

Kuma cocked his head at Rika. She chuckled, "Dad was Army, First Infantry, died in combat and it hit her really hard." She quickly jabbed her pointer finger towards the big man. "Don't you dare tell her I said anything."

"My lips are sealed LT," Kuma held his hand up. He turned to look at the sun sinking toward the horizon. "Oh, well. We need to round everyone up and hunker in for the night before it gets dark. Want to put out the call or shall I?"

Rika handed him the mike, "It's your op, _LT_. I'm just riding shotgun, remember?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot I got bumped up," Kuma snorted. He keyed the mike, "All insertion teams. The sun is going down. Repeat, the sun is going down. Secure what you can and return to the main building of each compound if you can. Repeat. Secure what you can and fall back if you can. We are done for the day. Cowboy and Blackhawks, thanks for all the help today, really came in handy." Kuma waited until all teams clicked reply or called back, then looked at Rika. "All teams accounted for."

" _Ground this is Cowboy, come back, over."_

"I read you, Cowboy," Kuma replied. "What's yer twenty, over."

" _Colorado is gonna take the hawks back to the roost. I'm gonna hang around until sundown in case you need anything else. Over."_

"Copy all, five by five, Cowboy. Thanks a bunch. Ground out."

" _All in a day's work, good buddy. Cowboy's over and out."_

Kuma replaced the mike and sank back into his seat and watched as the insertion teams filtered back in.

000

"Tiger Team, huddle up," Alex said as they secured the vehicle hut. "I am not keen on driving through hostile territory at night with only a squad –well trained though they are. I want to find someplace quiet, cleared and easily defended and hunker in for the night."

"If I may?" Toujou said. "We did clear out a small storage room, off the main hangar that meets your criteria. Plus, I noticed some food and water stores, so we will not be hungry."

"Agreed," Alex said. "Let's move the truck close to the door and grab the comm gear. If shit goes down tonight, at least we'll have the radio to call for an evac."

000

"Copy, Tiger Team," Kuma repeated into the mike. "You be safe, Lance. I am not including any condolence letters in my after-action report, you hear?"

" _Aye aye, LT,"_ Alex's voice replied. _"Over and out."_

000

Tiger Team quickly dismantled the radio equipment out of the Humvee, along with gas cans, extra ammo, rations and everything else considered 'man-portable'. They did a cursory sweep of the small out building, sealed and barricaded both doors and then set out bedrolls. Two troopers set the radio on a table and powered down the rechargeable power-pack.

The sun was low to the west, shadows creeping between the buildings of a dead city, the silence deafening. All ears were on high alert to the smallest sound as a potential threat.

"Here's how it's gonna work," Alex said to her team. "I'm going to take first watch, two hours, then Toujou, then Ikari-kun then Misaki-san. Mizuhara-san takes last watch while we load the truck and get ready for tomorrow. Try and get some sleep, gonna be a long day tomorrow. I'll see if I can get some more warm bodies out this way to help us clear this station."

Tiger Team all nodded their consent and set about their evening routines. Toujo set up the sword cleaning kit on a work bench and dismantled her weapon for a good cleaning. Kanie Ikari and Isuzu Misaki set to work cleaning and servicing firearms – in between flirting with each other, Ikari quite successful getting Misaki to giggle and blush like a school girl.

 _Geh, those two are gonna need their own room,_ Alex groaned to herself, before remembering her own wife back home. She then turned a quick eye to Ritsu Mizuhara; the quiet one. She sat seiza in a corner; head bowed reverently, palms together. Then she did a most peculiar thing. Alex watched the normally reserved and serious young woman cross herself Catholic fashion before pressing her forehead to the floor. She then sat up and looked directly at Alex.

Alex said nothing as Mizuhara then slid quietly across the floor and positioned herself next to Alex.

"Hey, I thought I told you to get some rest," Alex whispered.

"My shift is last and I generally only sleep for six hours a night," Mizuhara said. "I am happy to keep you company if you do not mind."

"Meh, why not," Alex shrugged. "May I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Are you Catholic?"

"My family all converted a few generations ago, before the war," Mizuhara said. "I was raised Catholic, but I really only attended church on holy days…I didn't go on Sundays usually, especially once I started school."

"Right," Alex said. "Because the school week is six days long here."

Mizuhara smiled, "Yeah. I wanted to spend my only day off with friends, rather than hear a priest drone on and on."

"So… how is it going?"

"Going?" Mizuhara cocked her head. "I am not sure I understand the question."

"I can't imagine there are many who share your Confession in camp," Alex clarified. "Must get lonely sometimes."

"Oh, not really," Mizuhara smiled. "For I know The Lord is with me in all things. Besides, I am not terribly religious and I mostly keep my faith to myself."

"Wow," Alex said. "Not the usual attitude where I grew up."

Mizuhara chuckled softly at that. "Not to worry, Team Leader. I think I know where you are going with this line of questioning. I have no objections to your living arrangements, nor am I bothered with how you express your affections. Above all, The Lord commands us to love each other and I am happy that you have someone you _can_ share your heart with."

"You aren't taking the piss, are you?" Alex stared at Mizuhara, her imitation of Lance Corporal Edmonds spot on.

Mizuhara stared slack-jawed at Alex. The British slang had thoroughly confused the poor woman. "I… ano… I have no need to…um…"

Alex mentally smacked her head again. She had spent entirely too much time hanging out with her friends from the embassy detachment and it was really starting to show. She shook her head, "I'm sorry. I've been hanging around the Brits too much. I meant to say, you aren't making fun of me, are you?"

Mizuhara smiled again and held Alex's hand, "I assure you, I am quite sincere."

Taken aback, Alex could only blush "I, uh… thank you…?"

"But I am taking you away from your duties, Team Leader," Mizuhara released Alex's hand. "I shall leave you to it."

"Oh…right," Alex stammered. "Please try and get some rest. I want to be up and ready by first light."

Mizuhara smiled and nodded, then returned to her place in the corner and set about servicing her side arm.

000

 _Zday+231: Back at Odawara Castle_

Dawn broke over the city and Kuma called the Teams troops together except those on guard duty. Alex and her team rolled up in their scavenged trucks just as he started.

"So here's the bad news," he said as he looked over the group. "The _Iwo_ had to bail out on us. They got a call from an American convoy out near Guam that was hit with a bad storm. A couple of ships got damaged enough that they might have to be abandoned so they will be doing search and rescue for a while. Good news is they left us one Blackhawk and one Gunhawk, which we were supposed to keep anyway."

Alex raised her hand and the LT pointed to her. "So what does that mean for us?"

Kuma sighed, "Meaning we will only be able to transport a couple of loads of MRE's and medical supplies back to the castle by air. After that, it's a case of diminishing returns because of the amount of aircraft fuel we have on hand. Until we can acquire more stocks of fuel from an airport or airbase, we have to conserve as much as possible."

Alex and several others nodded, it just made good sense in the long run to save the fuel for important missions and emergencies.

"So what we do have is good stocks of vehicle fuel at both depots," the man contained. "With the trucks and Humvees we have acquired, we should be able to move enough supplies back to base to at least cover the home team for the rest of the winter. Honestly, unless the weather really gets bad, we should also be able to make more runs at a later date."

"Next question is what do we do about getting home?" Alex asked about herself and the other Onohira troopers.

"Road trip," Rika said with a smirk. "It's not like we haven't made this run before, plus the Pathfinders and a couple of other convoys followed our tracks since we moved into Onohira. It might be a little tight with just our own vehicles, but it also should not take but a long day to get home if the roads are still clear."

"I really want to find us some Strykers or some type of armored vehicle as soon as possible," Kuma said.

"We are not that far south of the East Fuji Maneuvering Area," Lieutenant Takawa said. "There are garages, fuel depots and weapon stores there. The JGSDF and the US Marine Corps all have vehicles, equipment, fuel, ammunition and – most importantly – spare parts and radio equipment."

"Assuming they haven't all been looted," Kuma said. "I have no problem sending in a scout mission, but without eyes in the sky, we are driving blind."

"I have spent several deployments at that particular location" Takawa volunteered. "I am more than happy to share my intel with you."

Kuma nodded, "I wish the _Iwo_ left us a drone, though. I hate sending warm bodies into potentially hostile territory without some idea what's out there."

"Why don't we task a satellite to look in on things," Rika suggested. "Not like there are a lot of eyes competing for use time."

"Can we get comms to reach all the way down to Onohira?" Kuma asked.

"That's not a problem," Takawa said. "Before The End, I was a radio engineer. I can have a fairly good VLF antenna strung up from the topmost tower of the castle. We cannot move a lot of data with it, but its low power and all we need is to confirm the existence of hostiles and approximate locations. I can begin drawing up a map with the most accurate coordinates I can muster."

"Hey, what's VLF?" Takashi whispered over to Kohta.

"It's an English abbreviation," Kohta whispered back. "It means Very Low Frequency. Armed forces around the world used to use it before satellite communication to transmit radio instruction to units stationed in remote or hard to reach locations."

Takashi nodded and gave a thumb up.

"Make it happen," Kuma said. "In the meantime, all teams are on RnR – rest and relaxation. Take this time to rest up, explore the castle, practice. But no one goes alone and no one is unarmed, even though the castle is secure. And no one – I mean _no one_ – is allowed outside the gates until we mount the expedition to Fuji. Got it?"

The entire battalion stood up and saluted. "Sir, yes sir!"

As they started to move, a radio technician ran in and handed Kuma a dispatch.

"Everyone hold up!" the big man called out as he showed the paper to Rika and Takawa.

"That's not good," Alex muttered as she, Saeko, Takashi and Kohta stopped.

Kuma shook his head, "Change of plans! According to meteorology, that storm off of Guam has turned north by northwest and is heading right for us. At the speed it's moving the main body will be here in three days. They are predicting heavy wind and driving snow in excess of one meter."

"Onohira team, that's means we're leaving," Rika said as she handed the dispatch back to Kuma. "Get your gear together and be ready to load in three hours. Busujima-san, if you are taking your new toys you have to load them now."

"Hai, Lieutenant," the girl replied.

"It won't take me a minute to stow my gear, "Alex said. "Once I do I'll hustle back and help you take down the armor."

"Thank you, Alex-san," Saeko said as she nodded. "I already have boxes prepared so it should not take long to dismantle."

"I will handle packing our personal items, Saeko. Go ahead with your work," Takashi said as the girl nodded.

"Oh ho?" Alex said with a grin. "You aren't just trying to get some private time alone with Saeko-san's delicates are you, Takashi-kun?" causing the couple to blush.

"Ah-hmm! I'll just go get that done," the boy said as he ducked out before the Amazon could tease him more.

"To your duties!" Rika snapped as she quickly walked by with a smirk on her face.

"Aye aye, LT!" Alex replied as she charged after the older woman.

Saeko, still red, started up the stairs as Kuma and the other Pathfinders made it a point to be looking anywhere, _but_ at the embarrassed onna-bugeisha.

000

 _Three hours later:_

"We'll get Sarah on the next flight north," Rika was telling John Zimmerman as everyone lined up for muster. "It may be after this storm blows out, though."

"I miss her but I'm not that worried about her," he replied. "She and Takagi-san get along well enough and I'm sure she's stayed busy. I'm glad she has opened up to some of you, even if she hasn't started talking again yet."

"Give her time, John," the woman said as she clapped him on the shoulder. "You never know, one morning she may get up and start rattling away like she never had a problem."

"I really hope you're right, Rika-san," the man said as Alex walked up.

"All troops accounted for and ready to roll, LT," the girl said.

"Good, get in line and tell Giba to call them to attention," Rika told her.

Thirty seconds later the Onohira troopers snapped to as Rika posted up with her back to them in the commanders position.

She popped a salute as Kuma and Takawa walked up. "Team Dahlia, all accounted for and ready to depart!" she shouted so everyone could hear.

"At ease!" Takawa called as he and Kuma returned Rika's honor. "Please indulge us for a minute before we cut you loose," he told the woman.

"Sure thing, Base Commander," she replied with a smirk.

The man raised his voice, "I and the Odawara Base team would like to thank each and every one of you for the service and support you have provided. May your travels always be pleasant and your blades always sharp." He turned to Kuma, "Anything you want to say?"

The big man nodded, "I have to say that over my years of service I don't think I have ever dealt with a more diverse group of people." Everyone chuckled as he continued on, "But I am proud to say I wouldn't want to change any one of you. Well, that is to say, if any of you want to _transfer_ to our unit…well, I'm just putting that out there…" Everyone laughed as Rika mouthed the word _asshole_ to him before he grinned and spoke up again. "Seriously though, I really hope we get to work together again. Domo arigato to each and every one of you. You have taught me and my Pathfinders a lot."

With that he and the rest of the Odawara Base team bowed low to the Onohira group. When they stood again Lieutenant Takawa called out, "BANZAI!" to which his troops echoed three times.

"Attention!" Rika shouted. "Salute!" Holding the pose for a five or so seconds she called, "Return!"

"My final order to you is DISMISSED!" Takawa called out.

"Fall out and into the trucks!" Giba cried as Alex shouted, "Follow me!"

"Bye, Rika," Kuma said as he gave her a hug.

"Bye, big guy," she replied, hugging him in return. She then turned and, to his surprise, did the same to Takawa. "You've got a great second in command there, treat him right and keep him safe," she whispered to him as they broke.

"Thanks, I will," he said back quietly.

"Call us if you get in it too deep!" she said as she jogged down the hill to the truck park set up on the old market grounds.

Isaac and David stepped up next to their officers. "So, what now?" the mustached man asked.

"Now we plan," Takawa said. "While you Pathfinders start looking to see if we can find any survivors here."

"Oorah," David said. "Oorah."

000

 _Four hours later:_

Alex and Kohta were riding the hatches of Stryker 1 as they rumbled down Hwy 135. They had already passed through Manazuru and Yugawara and were coming up on Atami. They both had on woolen face masks with goggles and gloves to protect against the cold.

"Hey Paddy hold up!" Alex called out as she waved her hand over her head for the convoy to stop.

"What's wrong?" Kohta asked.

"Give me a minute," the girl said as she ducked down into the cabin. "Hey Rika, come up, I need to show you something." With that, she pulled herself up on the top deck between the two hatches so the sniper could climb up the left hatch.

"What's the problem?" the woman asked. "Why did you stop us?"

"There's a freaking castle up there! Why haven't we taken that?" the American girl said as she pointed to a keep on top of the hill above them. "The damn highway tunnel goes right under it."

Takashi and Saeko climbed out of the back hatches and moved forward to see what was going on as Rika shook her head.

"Hey, Busujima-san, your sword sister is concerned about this castle up on the hill. Do you think we need to look into it?" Rika asked the younger woman, a sly smirk on her lips.

"Hmm, Atami Castle, it does have some beautiful views of the ocean to the north and south, but I am not sure. What do you think, Rika-san?" the dark-haired girl said, doing her level best not to break character.

Alex frowned as she looked back and forth between the women and then at Takashi who seemed to be stifling a laugh. "Okay what's so funny? I get the feeling I'm being played."

Takashi smiled, "Atami is what you in the west would call a 'tourist trap', Alex. It was built late in the Showa era, umm 1950's. It's a museum with a hot springs hotel down closer to the water."

"You know it really might work as a good highway outpost," Kohta said as he pulled his mask down so he could talk. "It is built like a normal castle, but we would have to do something about outer fortifications though."

"Plus it was the site of a famous battle too," Rika said with one of her classic smirks. "When was that, Kohta-kun? Do you remember?"

Kohta nodded, "1963 King Kong vs. Godzilla. They fought several places around the country but their last battle was over Atami Castle before falling off the cliffs into the ocean. JDSF called it a draw and left them alone since they did not come back on land."

"What the fuck Japan!" the red-headed girl exclaimed. "I mean seriously, what the fuck!"

The others all broke down laughing as Paddy started the Stryker moving again at Rika's orders.

000

 _Zday+231:_

Darkness came quickly that time of year and Rika called the convoy to a halt since she did not want to deal with any road obstacles at night. Deciding not to clear a building, they tucked in next to a three-meter tall retaining wall that protected the highway from winds and weather coming out of the east off the bay. To their west a few business buildings and houses climbing the hillsides that looked as if they were already getting ready to fall apart.

There were very few undead around and Rika had ordered just let them be unless they tried to climb the vehicles. All had wandered off once everyone was settled and quiet.

The main body of the troops 'dog piled' in the back of the two deuce and a half trucks. Dog piling meant they put what cargo they had along the sides of beds for windbreaks and filled the middle with sleeping bags and blankets. Troopers rotated a single watchman throughout the night while the rest 'got friendly' by burrowing into the middle of the pile to stay warm. This sounded bad in that they were a mixed group, but the Onohira fighters had been together long enough that they completely trusted one another not to get grabby in the night. Plus the guys knew the women were tough enough to kick their butts and they all feared what Rika would do to them if anyone acted inappropriately.

Stryker crews also rotated watches and Kohta had the dawn shift. The boy was propped in his hatch looking into the hills with a set of binoculars when Alex opened the left cover and rose up to check on him.

"Whatcha' doing?" the girl asked her friend in a childlike voice intending on her next words to be a series of "Why?'s".

"Trying to find something up on the hill," he replied while staring through the glasses. "I saw a couple of flashes of color moving up there that didn't look like zeds."

This was more concerning than her teasing and the girl reached down to pull out a set of field glasses for herself. "What kind of color?" she asked.

"Orange…dark yellow maybe? Not sure, saw it twice out of the corner of my eye."

She panned back and forth for a minute as he did, before freezing on a target. "See that two-story house about halfway up? The one with the big wooden deck on the north side?"

"Yeah I see…HOLY FUCKING SHIT!" the boy shouted as he grabbed the .50 cal and swung it in the direction they had been looking.

"What are you doing!?" Alex shouted.

"Do you know what that is!?" he shouted back.

"Yeah, looks like a tiger to me!" she replied.

"Tiger!? Tiger!? Does Rika know about the tiger!? You damn right she don't!"

"What the fuck has gotten into you two up here?" demanded the woman in question as she pushed her way up beside Alex.

"Kohta's freaked out over a little pussy!" Alex declared with a huge grin on her face.

"Fuck you, Alex!" the boy snapped off, glaring at the girl.

"You wouldn't like it, I just lay there!" she shot back as Rika rubbed her hand over her face.

"Both of you shut the hell up!" she said. "Now someone tell me what the fuck is going on?"

Alex handed her the binoculars and told her where to look. Rika focused on the target for a minute, lowered the glasses and rubbed her eyes before looking again.

"Well ain't that a load of shits and giggles," Rika said as she continued to watch the big cat lay on the edge of the deck looking back at them.

"Ain't it!" Alex declared with a grin. "Saeko and I were just talking about stuff like this a day or two back. I was wondering what happened to the zoo animals."

"What's going on?" Paddy asked as he, Saeko and Takashi climbed up from the back hatches.

"Seems we got a kitty cat problem," Rika said as she passed the field glasses to the Boston boy.

Takashi tapped Kohta on the shoulder and got his set from him. He put them to his eyes for a minute before handing them to Saeko and pointing where to look.

"Oh my, it's beautiful!" the swordswoman declared.

"Beautiful…yeah, it's gonna look beautiful on the floor of my bedroom for me to sleep on," Kohta said as he leaned down behind the machine gun putting the sights on the area.

"Don't you fucking dare pull that trigger!" Rika ordered. She took the binoculars back and placed them to her eyes again. "Ah hell…" she said trailing off. "It's got cubs."

"What!? Where!?" Alex exclaimed as she grabbed the glasses from the woman.

"Look just to our right. They are peeking over the edge of the deck."

"Oh, I see them!" Saeko said as she focused in.

"SO CUTE!" Alex declared as she watched two little faces look over the edge. "I want to catch one and take it home!"

Rika frowned as she lit a smoke. "You will _not_ be capturing a wild animal and try to make a pet out of it. You could not afford to feed it and I would not blame Zeke if he bit your face off for bringing it home."

"Poo," the girl said as she handed the binoculars back.

"Umm, Rika those cubs don't look very big," Takashi said. "How long does it take for a mother tiger to give birth?"

"I knew some Thai commandos who had to deal with tigers in the wild in northern Thailand, they told me a lot about them," she replied. "Mothers give birth about three and a half to four months after they are fertilized. Those cubs look to be about three months old from here."

"So that would mean there has to be a male tiger around somewhere," Paddy said, now looking around as if expecting another big cat to suddenly jump out.

Rika nodded, "She must have got knocked up after the outbreak." She looked at her gunner who was now silent. "Come on, Kohta-kun, you don't want to kill a mama now do you? That will mean you killed her cubs too."

The boy shook his head as what she said sank in.

"Good, I didn't think you were that cold-hearted," the woman said with a smile. "Well, we will have to report it to command and let them worry what to do in the long run. For now, we just need to be careful of wildlife when we go over the ditches. Everybody be on alert. Eat, use the toilet or whatever, I want to be moving in thirty minutes.

As everyone went back inside to get their day started, Alex looked at mama tiger and her babies again. One was crawling on its parent while the other stood on the deck edge and tried to roar.

"So freaking cute!" the red-head said again before she dropped back down inside.

000

 _Four hours later: about 10:00 hours,_

Onohira base personnel stopped and listened as they heard the convoy roaring up the north road. Many dropped what they were doing and came out to watch as Stryker 1 crossed the first drawbridge.

Tomasa, Shaun and Tatsumi arrived downstairs in front of the mess hall as the APC pulled to a stop in front of supply.

"Get them checked as quickly as you can, Tomasa told Tatsumi. "I'm sure there are a lot of people eager to get closer to them."

Tatsumi nodded and waved for a group to inspect the returnees for bites.

"All clear!" the Sergeant called out as Rika and company moved forward and formed up in from of Tomasa.

After snapping to attention, Rika called out, "All present and account for. I am proud to report no losses and no injuries, Captain. Also, mission accomplished!"

Tomasa smiled and returned her salute, "At ease! Welcome home, everyone! We will debrief at 0900 tomorrow. For now, get fed and take the rest of the day off. Dismissed!"

"KOHTA!" Saya cried out as she dove on her man with Alice and Zeke only a step behind.

"Rika!" Shizuka squealed as she glomped the woman while the others laughed.

"Rei!" Paddy said as he grabbed her and spun her around before letting her feet back on the ground.

"Hey Shaun," Alex said as she hugged her foster father. "Where is everyone else?"

"At our house," he replied. "Your mom and Misa have been helping with the babies. They knew when you should be in, but really wanted to welcome you home in a little more privacy."

Alex nodded, "Ah I understand. Mom had too many years of seeing Dad leave not knowing if he would ever come back...then one day he didn't." She shook her head as if to cast away a bad memory. "Plus I totally understand Misa's outlook. I better go on and see them. To be truthful they are both probably chomping at the bit wondering where I'm at!"

The engineer laughed, "Go ahead then, I'll be in before lunch time."

The red-head cut between the trucks and ran down the lane bordered by the shotgun houses. Coming to Shaun and Asuka's she paused for a moment before stepping onto the front porch. Taking a deep breath, she tapped on the door, opened it and stepped inside. "I'm home!" she called out as she unlaced her boots in the entrance.

"Yukarin!" her mother cried out as the woman rushed up to throw her arms around the girl. "What took you so long? It seems like it's been hours since we heard the trucks come in!"

"It's only been like twenty minutes, Mom," the girl replied. "We had to go through bite checks and then muster out before I could get away. Shaun told me you were all waiting here, so I came as quick as I could."

Alex's eyes lit up as from behind her mother she heard, "A-chan?"

Seiko smirked and stepped out of the way to reveal Misa. "I'll be in the living room with Asuka-san," the woman said as she moved away.

"Hey honey, I'm home," Alex said quietly as the smaller girl dove into her arms. They locked lips and held a kiss for several long seconds before drawing back to take a breath. "Damn I missed you," the big girl whispered before kissing Misa again.

"It seems like you've been gone so long," Misa replied as she hugged her mate tightly. "What took so long?"

"Ah well, those are stories for later. Right now I want to see Asuka and the kids. Shaun said he will be in around lunch time and we can all eat together."

"Come on then," Misa said as she took Alex's hand and led her into the light of the living room.

000

It was almost an hour before Saeko and Takashi could get away and carry their gear to the main house. Once inside the dropped their rucks and weapons in their bedroom and took a deep breath.

"Ahhhh, it really feels like coming home doesn't it?" Takashi said as he took Saeko in his arms.

"At home in our own room where we can, after many long days, finally get some private time together," the tall dark-haired girl whispered as she pressed her lips to his.

"So what would you like to do?" he asked with a smirk. "Bath, eat or…"

"Oh I feel the need to work up a sweat and earn my bath and dinner," she replied as she unzipped his combat vest and began to unbutton his tunic.

"Oh good," he replied as he returned the favor to her. "And here I was afraid you would only be hungry for food…"

Saeko laughed the beautiful laugh he knew so well before pushing him to the floor and saying, "Itadakimasu!"

000

"So what's the word?" Rika asked Tomasa as she leaned against the front of the mess hall smoking before going in to eat.

"All operations are shut down for the duration of the storm and maybe even the rest of the season depending on how bad the snow gets."

Rika nodded then frowned, "What day is it?"

The Captain laughed, "Fourth Thursday of November. In America, it's also known as Thanksgiving Day."

"Ah, that's why I smell turkey cooking! Well, I guess we got a lot to be thankful for, a good base, a great team, good food and solid roofs over our heads."

"Yep," Tomasa agreed. "Hopefully, it only gets better from here."

000

 _Ten kilometers away in Shimoda:_

They stood like statues in the woods and along the roadsides. Hundreds of undead had been playing follow the leader who seemed to hear some noise in the distance he was attracted to. They had finally stopped when the weather had gotten so cold the muscles that science said should not work, locked them in place. They stood in the dark and cold waiting…waiting for the weather to warm and they could continue on to their destination.

* * *

A/N: Props to Blackbird2266 who gave us the idea of Saeko finding the Edo style armor.

The Marshal and I are still suffering from a horrible writers block on this. That being said we do have another couple of chapter almost ready to post though.

As many of our long-time readers know I had a bout of cancer about four and a half years ago and the first half of this year I have been going through extensive testing due to my five-year checkup coming up. Even though I feel much older and more tired than I did back then I am happy to say so for nothing has come back up.

We thank everyone for bearing with us and please keep on reading!

As always please Review, Favorite and Follow!

EN: 1st Posted 7/11/16


	22. Chapter 22

We do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters. All British Marines and their companion characters are owned by MarshalZhukov.

* * *

 _Zday+235:_

Morning broke cloudy and cold. Even the gulls that normally congregated around the docks were unusually quiet. Given that the thermometer on the look-out point directly south of Tokashiki Island read just below room temperature, it was not surprising.

What was surprising was the large, gray shape that loomed out of the morning fog. The shape resolved itself into an unusual ship, a type not normally seen in the waters these days. The flat, clear deck with a slight upsweep at the bow and superstructure to one side suggested to those who would know such things that the vessel was an aircraft carrier. From the mast atop the control island, the Union Jack and the attendant Royal Navy standard fluttered limply in the still air as it sailed slowly past headed north. It was followed by a mid-sized freighter and two Japanese destroyers.

The huge vessel blew its fog horn once, then twice then once more, alerting the coast watch of their arrival.

The call was answered in short order by the same code, alerting the ship's pilot they had been seen and that their arrival at Naha would be welcomed.

"Right," Acting Captain Edward Carrew deftly maneuvered his vessel past the signal fire that had been lit at the horn and used the fire to steer clear of the shallow reef that surrounded the island. "Reduce speed to one third, Mister Cleese, if you would."

"Aye, Captain," the helmsman answered. He picked up the squawk mike. "Engine Room. Reduce speed to one third."

" _Speed one third, aye!"_

Carrew turned to his adjutant. "Glad to see the back of the Moluccas. Bloody pirates. What's the current state of the ship?"

"All repairs have been carried out to the best of our current abilities, sir," the adjutant said. "Once we get into port, we can repair the number two screw and do a better patch job on the hole near the port observation deck. And the pilot of the Harrier we fished out of the drink is expected to make a full recovery."

"Very good, Miss Hawkins. Carry on."

"Sah."

"What is our current ETA, Mister Redmayne?"

"Sah, at our current speed, we should be in Naha by nightfall."

"Excellent," Carrew said. "Mister Cleese. Once we are east of the Imperial Palace, increase speed to two-thirds and then steady as she goes."

"Aye, sir."

000

That afternoon, Minister of Reclamation Souichirou Takagi sat in his offices with his wife Yuriko, Master of the Imperial Guard Kage Busujima, and Sergeant Kurita. They relaxed on the sofas, sipping tea.

"I will be departing for Okinawa tomorrow to meet with the Americans now that the _Ark Royal_ has returned," Souichirou said, holding the official paperwork, stamped by the Emperor's Privy Council. "His Majesty is keen to know how the voyage went."

"I will see to the packing," Yuriko said, pouring another round of tea for the gathering. "How long do you expect to be away?"

"At most two, perhaps three days," Souichirou said, accepting his tea with a kind nod. "If circumstances change, I will send word. In the meantime, His Majesty is also curious as to the current status of our forward bases."

Yuriko's eyes lit up. "Does this mean another outing north?"

Souichirou smiled and bowed his head. "It does, my dearest wife." He turned to Kage. "Sensei, would you care to accompany us? I am certain the troops would welcome further training and instruction."

Kage smirked behind his teacup. "I will gladly accept your invitation, Minister." He turned to Kurita. "Make certain all preparations are in place before our departure."

Kurita bowed his head deeply. "It will be done, my lord."

"Excellent," Souichirou said. "The _Kaiwo Maru_ is set to return north in a couple of weeks, ample time to meet with the Americans, debrief the _Ark Royal's_ commanding officer on the supply situation, return and prepare for our sojourn."

000

It was early evening when the _Ark_ dropped anchor in the sheltered harbor of Naha port. Captain Carrew and a deputation of Royal Marines boarded the launch and made their way into town. Upon reaching the jetty, they were met by a US Marine patrol.

"Captain Carrew?" the sergeant asked, saluting. "The General sends his compliments and asked us to escort you to Camp Schwab. After breakfast tomorrow morning, there will be a full debrief with us and the Japanese."

Carrew returned the Marine's salute and made his way into the waiting Humvee. "What's the current situation, Sergeant?"

"Sir, I really can't comment on the overall sitrep since it's way above my pay grade, but I can tell you that locally, we are in much better shape, at least on Okinawa, than we were on Z-Day. The General can tell you more."

"Thank you, Sergeant," Carrew sighed, as he settled in for the ride.

000

 _Zday+236:_

Captain Carrew was up before dawn, a habit he became accustomed to upon assuming command of the _Ark Royal_. He had long since showered, shaved and dressed. By the time the General's steward had come to get him, he was two chapters into a thick history on Okinawa. He was led down a series of halls before being shown into Crighton's office. There, he was happy to note, Colonel Franco and Minister Takagi were already seated.

"Gentlemen," Carrew said by way of greeting.

"Captain," Franco stood to attention and saluted.

"Belay that, Colonel," Carrew smirked as he returned the honor. "We're the same bloody rank."

Franco laughed and offered his hand to Carrew. "I'm so sorry for the circumstances leading to your promotion, but my congratulations all the same."

"Thank you," Carrew said, shaking Franco's hand. He then turned to Souichirou and bowed deeply. "Minister. It is good to see you doing well. My compliments to your wife."

Souichirou returned the bow, but at a slightly less steep angle. "Well met, Captain," he said in impeccable English. "I will pass on your greetings to Yuriko-san. Was your voyage successful?"

"Largely," Carrew said, earning raised eyebrows from the other two men. "I will explain more when we meet with the General."

Their wait was not long before Crighton's adjutant showed them in.

"Gentlemen, I understand you have other matters to attend to, so I will dispense with the usual pleasantries," Crighton said as he bade his visitors sit where they pleased. "Captain Carrew, I understand the _Ark_ sustained some damage in an attack by pirates in the Molucca Straits. I have the Navy shipyard at your disposal to see to any and all repairs."

Carrew nodded, "Right then, down to business. The sail to Diego Garcia went off without incident. Granted, it was fairly soon after the contagion spread, so no one was really about. We reached Garcia and rendezvoused with the Royal Navy garrison on station there. We spent a few months rendezvousing with various naval remnants from around the world and were able to secure fuel, ammunition and spares for our aircraft and ship. Our holds are packed quite full and, once repairs are under way, we will begin breaking stores for disbursement. We also took on board several small UAVs and attendant equipment for the forward operating base at Onohira." Carrew paused to let the information sink in before focusing directly on Crighton. "We also received news from the Foreign Office. The United States is climbing back from the brink. Their East Coast is still very hot, but a new provisional government has set up shop in your state of Indiana. Reclamation and extermination efforts are being directed from there. It would seem the old adage that America has more guns than people is proving quite true."

This elicited small chuckles from the officers.

"The return cruise was rather more fraught. Our sail through the Indian Ocean proceeded as normal until we reached The Molucca Straits. There we encountered a small, but well organized fleet of pirates in small, fast boats. They posed little real danger in and of themselves but did inflict damage to our hull with the use of a portable rocket launcher and a chain that scraped under our hull, fouling one of the screws. I ordered two of my Harriers into the air to see them off. A short engagement scattered them, but they managed to regroup near shore and used small arms fire to shoot one of my planes down. We rescued the pilot but lost the plane. We only managed to sink two of their craft, more's the pity."

"Well, I can't say that was unexpected," Crighton said as Carrew finished. "Pirates were always a concern through Molucca, now they will be emboldened by the absence of any legal authority. Any ships we send that way will either have to go the long way around or be ready for a hot fight. All the same, I am glad you made it safe."

Carrew smiled and nodded, "I will provide the manifest when the _Ark_ gets into dry dock, but I can say we are well placed to remain stocked for a good long while."

The remainder of the debriefing went over technical issues, matters of navigation and cartography, locations where the attack occurred and potential routes around. A knock at the door brought all eyes to the adjutant as he handed a note to Crighton. He lit up like Christmas morning. "That's bully!" he shouted. "Great news! Show the man in!"

A tall lanky man with close cropped brown hair graying at the temples and wearing a dress white uniform similar to Carrew's entered the room. He saluted open palmed in British fashion before introducing himself.

"Gentlemen," his thick Australian accent pouring off his tongue. "I am Leftenant James Dench of the Royal Australian Navy frigate _Sydney_. I come with news that Australia and New Zealand are back on their feet and ready to join the effort to wipe this zeddie menace off the face of the earth!"

000

Tomasa smiled as he read the dispatch off the VLF set. Ever since Takawa sent the plans and specs down with one of his supply convoys, the tasking of precious satellite time could be re-directed to operations against zeds, rather than taken up with mundane communications. _I will have to remember to thank Miss Park again for helping set this radio up_ , Tomasa thought. He made his way out of Communications and into Ops where Tatsumi and Rika were waiting for the day's reports.

"It seems the _Ark Royal_ has returned from Diego Garcia, somewhat battered from an encounter with pirates, but none the worse for wear. They also have more ammunition stores, fuel, spare parts and a small drone for our use in the field."

Rika and Tatsumi shared a smile. "That will help a lot," Rika said. "Especially combined with all the loot Takawa and his Pathfinders made off with from the East Fuji Training yards, we can mount all manner of expeditions and raids into the foreseeable future."

"There's more," Tomasa said. "The Minister of Reclamation and Master of the Imperial Guard are coming to visit when Captain Tsugumo makes the voyage up in a couple of weeks. Make sure Takagi-san and Busujima-san are notified right away. I'm sure they will want to prepare for their families' arrival."

"I can tell Takagi," Tatsumi said. "I have to head over to the supply hooch anyway."

"I'll find Saeko," Rika offered.

"Alright," Tomasa said. "Otherwise, orders of the day are to keep warm, keep dry and do what improvements we can. So, drills until mid-day then free time until lights out. Dismissed."

000

Takashi let out a satisfied groan as Saeko worked the last knots out of his shoulder muscles. He was pleased to note that in the last few months, she had become extremely adept at this; her well-honed hands skilled in finding all the little hiding spots where soreness could lurk.

"Does this please you, My Lord?" she cooed into his ear as she draped over his now loosened shoulders.

"My Lady is exceptionally skilled," Takashi twisted slightly to kiss her cheek. "I am a very lucky man indeed." He freed himself and turned to face her completely.

Saeko took the invitation and slipped into his lap. There they sat, arms wrapped around each other, kissing as though this would be their last.

An unwelcome knock on the door broke their intimacy. Takashi swallowed the insult he wanted to throw. "Yes?" the tone was rather a bit sharper than he intended but…

On the other side of the door, Rika winced slightly at Takashi's unspoken rebuke. "Sorry to break in on you," Rika's spoke through the unopened door. "I wanted to let the missus know her father had plans to sail up with the _Kaiwo Maru_ on its return voyage."

Rika smirked at the barely concealed squeak of excitement from the other side of the door. She cleared her throat. "As you were, Leading Private, Sensei."

She chuckled as she walked out of the house.

000

"Alice, would you please move the boxes of empty magazines to the ready shelf?" Saya called to the girl. She set her broom down and dutifully nodded.

Sarah had bid a tearful goodbye to Saya and Alice before leaving with the resupply convoy to Odawara Castle to be with her uncle. Though she said nothing, the pain and sorrow in her eyes were message enough.

Saya went back to tending the Luger given to her, cleaning the firing mechanism. She chanced to glance up and see Tatsumi walking in.

"Good morning, First Sergeant," Alice chimed, waving to the man as he entered.

"Good morning to you too, Alice-chan," Tatsumi said, smiling. "And you as well, Takagi-san. I come with some good news. Your parents are coming in with the Kaiwo next week."

Saya almost dropped the pistol onto the workbench. "They are? Wonderful! I will make sure their accommodations are ready once we finish up in here." She smiled at Tatsumi then bowed. "Thank you for coming out to tell me! Anything else?"

"Some tooth paste please," the man said.

Tatsumi nodded and excused himself once Alice handed him his package. Saya set back to work, humming a soft tune. As she finished her task, she noticed Alice working a bit slower than she had been. Saya set the weapon on the counter and went to the child, gathering her in her arms. "I can't imagine how hard this has been on you. Just remember, Kohta-kun and I both love you and we will always protect you, no matter what. Come to us whenever you are feeling bad, okay?"

000

Carrew sat in the main lobby of Marine HQ reading a magazine several years out of date. He stood up as Minister Takagi walked toward the door. "Minister, a moment of your time?"

"Of course, Captain. What may I do for you?" he held the door open and followed Carrew onto the sidewalk.

"There were further orders from the Foreign and Home Offices. All surviving British service personnel and subjects are recalled to the UK. That means the Royal Marine detachment at the Palace, the _Inscrutable_ , the _Ark Royal_ and Sergeant Phillips. I must make my report to both Ministries by end of the week. Once that is done, I will have one month to gather everyone up and set sail back to Britain."

Takagi stopped walking and looked directly at Carrew. "Why was this not brought up during the debriefing?"

"The Home Office's directive, Minister," Carrew said, weathering Takagi's stern look quite well. "I was not to involve the Americans, seeing as they have the situation well in hand here. In her words, sir, 'this is a British matter. It need not concern the Americans'."

Takagi sighed and relented. "I cannot say I am happy about this turn of events, but it is not current Imperial policy to meddle in the internal affairs of other countries. However, this recall will cause quite a bit of upset, particularly at Onohira."

"Regarding Sergeant Phillips, I presume?"

Takagi nodded. "His wife gave birth to twins while you were away. By birth, she and they are Japanese nationals. The Kinoshita family will not be happy either."

Carrew pinched the bridge of his nose and thought about what he had been told. "So, the brilliant chemist was able to tie the giantess down, was she?" he looked back at Takagi. "I am not terribly happy about this either, I assure you. Were it in my power, this would not be happening. Sadly, I am to carry out my orders."

Takagi offered a sad smile and clapped Carrew's shoulder. "Let us adjourn back to the Palace. I will let Yuriko-san know to expect you for a few days. We can plan what to do there."

"I am happy to take you up on your offer, Minister. I need to return to my ship, make sure everything is in order and then I shall call on you tomorrow morning."

The two men bowed deeply to each other and parted company.

 _This will not be pleasant in the least,_ Takagi thought as he made his way to the waiting staff car.

000

 _Zday+236:_

Misa awoke cold and shivering. She rolled onto her back and felt beside her. The spot usually occupied by her wife was vacant. She frowned then sat up. The baby was unusually quiet and this set off an alarm bell. Misa wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and walked over to the crib.

Empty.

Now, Misa was in full panic mode. She did a thorough sweep of the main living area, including the toilet room. Nothing. No Alex, no baby. Misa frantically ran to the kitchen. Empty. She sat on the stoop and crammed her feet into her wellingtons before storming out the door. There, she encountered Seiko.

"G-good morning, Misa-chan," Alex's mother bowed slightly, caught short by the frantic violet-haired tornado.

"Have you seen Ah-chan or the baby!?"

"They are over at my place," Seiko said, wrapping a comforting arm around Misa's shoulder. "Poor Megumi has a bit of colic, so Yukarin brought her over so you could sleep in."

Misa let go the breath she had been holding and let her body release the tension. The panic drained from her features. "Thank you. Sorry for causing you trouble, Oba- sorry, Seiko-san."

The two women shared a knowing smile before returning to the Kinoshita house. Seiko waited patiently in the kitchen as Misa dressed then swallowed a cold onigiri rice ball on their way back out.

"I thought… I didn't know what to think," Misa said as she huddled against Seiko for warmth. "Alex gone, the baby gone. I just panicked."

Seiko laughed and held Misa close. "Welcome to motherhood, my dear. I would wake up in the middle of the night every time I heard – or imagined I heard – some noise coming from Yukarin's room, especially when she was very young."

"Does it ever get easier?" Misa asked as they crossed the lane toward Seiko's home.

Seiko laughed louder. "If anything, it gets tougher, but it will get better. You learn to deal with it because you love your child unconditionally – without question. Yukarin is a grown young woman now, but I still worry about her every minute of every day, especially when she goes over the hump."

Misa smiled to herself. She knew Alex had a vaguely cavalier attitude toward her own life, but Misa also knew that Alex would never willingly surrender it, not with a wife and child waiting at home.

Seiko slid the door open. "I'm back, and I have another guest."

Alex poked her head through the door to the kitchen. "Good morning, hon. I have the baby here. Asuka-nee-chan is here with the twins too."

"Good morning sweetie," Misa said as she slipped out of her boots. She crossed into the main living area and sat on the floor. She took little Felix into her arms and started humming a soft tune while Alex and Asuka busied themselves mashing something slimy and pulpy into larger balls. Baby Jenny snoozed close by in a small rocking crib.

"What are you doing?" Misa asked.

"Making soap balls," Alex replied with a smile. "Baba Oksana taught me to do this when I was a kid. She learned from her mom growing up in Russia since everything was in short supply under the Commies."

Misa cocked an eyebrow and nodded.

000

Saeko awoke into the early morning darkness. The weight to her left breathing softly she knew to be Takashi. He had taken to snuggling close these past few months, especially as the weather got colder, trying to share body heat. She kissed him gently on the forehead then extricated herself from his grasp. Takashi groaned and wrapped the rest of the futon over himself while Saeko dressed then left.

To her pleasant surprise, Saeko was once again met by Saya sitting at the fire pit, trying to light a small coal briquette.

"Good morning, Saya-san. Another conundrum to puzzle the mind this morning?" Saeko smirked slightly as she settled next to the pinkette genius.

"No, just thinking about something else." Her efforts rewarded as the coal lit up, starting a nice little fire under the kettle.

"Oh?"

Saya sighed deeply and stared at the small fire. "When we left Tokyo for the last time, I saw a banner hanging off a building. 'Repent' it read."

"Just 'Repent'?"

"That's it. 'Repent'."

Silence.

"I haven't really thought about it since as there was always something to do or think about once we got here. But sometimes, late at night or really early in the morning, like today, I remember that banner."

"Usually, it is only guilty consciences that hang heavy, Saya-san," Saeko gently squeezed Saya's arm. "What troubles you?"

"Not me in particular, but humanity as a whole. Some would say that what happened was divine retribution for something horrible we as a species did. I read in some Christian publication years ago that when there is no more room in Hell, the dead will roam the earth. And then, the End of the World."

"I can't deny that what has happened is world ending." Saeko finally sighed. "Certainly the world we came from no longer exists."

"Is this divine retribution?"

Saeko gazed at the small fire as she contemplated her answer. "I do not wish to speculate on the Will of Heaven. That we have been spared suggests we are destined for better things. That is how I chose to face the future."

Saya reclined onto her elbow. She looked over and smiled at Saeko. "Thank you."

Saeko returned the smile. "How many eggs do you want this morning?"

000

The snow crunched pleasantly underfoot as Takashi made his way toward the lone figure standing on top of the inner berm. Saya had mentioned that Kohta left early that morning, something about observing something. No matter, he would get his clarification soon enough.

"Ohayou," Takashi called out softly as he ascended. The conveniently cut steps in the berm aiding his climb. "What are you doing here?"

"I was drafted," Kohta chuckled. "Remember the induction ceremony?"

Takashi stopped to think about Kohta's answer. ""Oh, har har. I meant what are you doing here right now?"

"Talking to you," Kohta snickered louder. "Saya tell you where to find me?"

Takashi took his place beside the marksman. "Saya said you were going to observe something?"

Kohta nodded. "I've been thinking about something, been on my mind for a while. Why haven't They rotted away by now?"

Takashi cast a questioning glance at Kohta but chose to remain silent for the moment to let the other man finish his thought.

"Think about it. Remember back to our biology class, when the professor said our bodies were just loaded with all manner of bacteria?"

Takashi smiled at the memory. He also recalled the reaction of just about every girl in class, ranging from disgust to more than one whipping out their hand sanitizers. "What about it?"

"Well, the only thing keeping those bacteria from eating us alive, as it were, is the fact that our immune systems keep them at bay. And not just bacteria. Insects of all sorts, predators too. We humans keep them away from us, with chemicals or domestication or just a simple horsetail swatter. The Walkers out there are dead – we think. Their bodies should have gone into decomposition almost immediately. They should be swarming with insects and other small predators just waiting on a hunk of meat to blunder across their path."

Takashi thought about that for a minute. He recalled back to another night, watching a science program depicting the various – and rapid – stages of an animal's body decomposing. "Well, science also tells us that dead things should not just be out there wandering around trying to eat the living. Maybe whatever reanimated Them is also keeping the normal stages of decomposition at bay somehow."

Kohta shook his head. "I would really like to figure out what, but I am not crazy enough to try and capture one for study, ya know?"

Takashi smirked at this. "Yep. The only good walker is a truly dead walker."

"Speaking of," Kohta pointed out to the far distance, near the line of trees. "Have you noticed how quiet it's been the last few weeks? Other than the trip to Odawara, we haven't seen any."

Takashi clapped his hands twice and mumbled a short aversion prayer. "Don't jinx us, man! We don't need the trouble."

Kohta repeated the same routine. "Sorry. Just getting a bit…er, anxious, ya know? Been too long since I last sighted something down my scope. Getting the itchy finger."

Takashi snorted. "I can sympathize, sort of."

Kohta cast a sidelong glance. "It's not easy being with a living avatar of death," Takashi continued. "Particularly if she hasn't been allowed to cut loose. I don't think my hips can take much more strain."

Kohta stopped himself from laughing too loud. Sound carries, especially in cold, still air. He sniggered into his hands, his face red with hilarity. Takashi joined in the mirth. The boys let their laughter peter out as Saya's voice carried up the berm.

"Captain wants to see you," she said. "Both of you."

"Uh oh," both boys said in unison as they looked at each other. "What did you do now?" They shared another laugh and made their way back down into the compound.

"Did he say what he needed?" Takashi asked as Kohta hugged Saya.

"Something about Atami Castle. Any idea what that's about?"

Takashi and Kohta shared a look this time before Takashi spoke. "When we left Odawara, we took the coast road down and passed by Atami Castle."

Saya thought for a moment "Isn't that the replica castle they built back in the mid-Showa Era? The tourist place with the nice onsen?"

"Yeah," Kohta continued. They started walking toward the command center. "It would seem our esteemed colleague from America thought it might be worth checking out as we passed by. Rika made note and said she would talk to the captain when we returned."

000

"Gesundheit!" Seiko said as she handed Alex a tissue. "That was some sneeze."

"Who do you think is talking about you?" Misa asked as she molded another soap ball.

Alex shrugged and tickled Megumi. The baby gurgled and laughed.

000

"Enter," Tomasa said at the knock on his office door. Paddy closed the door behind him and sat in front of Tomasa.

"We have a problem," the Boston boy said slowly.

Tomasa sat back in his seat and eyed the Irishman carefully. "What kind of problem?"

"I am running out of spares to keep the Strykers operational," Paddy replied. "The biggest deal is fan-belts. I have four spares, not including the one I keep in each vehicle."

"How many did we start with?" Tomasa asked.

"Six," Paddy replied. "But it's not just belts. I am worried about Number Two's engine. If I didn't know better, it sounds like it's about to throw a piston rod. That I don't have _any_ spares for. I took it out of rotation for now. We will need a motor pack to replace and fix that."

"What can we do? Do you think the Americans can spare any over?"

"As sad as it sounds, we are a very low priority for them right now." Paddy shook his head. "I do have another idea, though."

"Let's hear it."

Paddy smiled widely. "Bio-diesel, sir. I have been asking around and Takagi-san is certain we can make it on site. We take the chaff out of every crop, set up a distillery and make our own. Corn, wheat, rice… even potatoes will ferment into fuel."

"Where are we putting this moonshine rig?" Tomasa pressed, using a term he picked up from Cowboy's recent visit. "Space is already at a premium unless you want to re-purpose the landing field."

"It will have to go in the Southern Safe Zone for now," Paddy replied, knowing the base was running short of usable space. "It's close enough to make it feasible without taking up our valuable real-estate."

"Alright. Is Stryker One still in service?"

"Yes, sir," Paddy said with some amount of pride. "No one seems able to kill that one."

"Very good," Tomasa said. "Tomorrow morning, I will contact Lt. Ogawa up at Odawara, see if he can round up more spares from East Fuji. They may already have something on hand. If not, I will get a hold of the commander of the Southern Safe Zone; let him know what you are up to, including the 'stil. If that all fails, I will send you and a patrol into Shirahama. See what you can round up. Take the flat bed. Try and mount a winch and some ramps on it and grab anything you think would be of benefit to us."

"I think I know what to look for, sir," Paddy said. "How many you think I should take along?"

"This isn't a supply run, so just a squad," Tomasa replied. "Draft one or two of Saeko's swordsmen to go with you for additional protection."

"And with Giba, Shion and Kurogane along for the ride, we should be able to get what we need," Paddy agreed. "I am thinking our best bet is down at the harbor. Not much shipping, but we should find a decent truck and maybe they will have a parts warehouse we can raid?"

"Scout it and only take what you can fit on the truck," Tomasa cautioned. "If it looks promising, I'll send a full party down the next day. Don't risk yourselves or the vehicles. Understood?"

"Yes sir," Paddy replied. "That's all I needed."

"Dismissed."

000

"Lads!" Blake announced as he paced in front of his detachment. The air was crisp, but not unpleasant. "We have orders from London. We are to return to Britain with the _Ark Royal_ at month's end."

A general murmur went up among the men as they traded looks, shocked amazement. Blake smirked in amusement.

"You weren't about to think the MoD forgot about us, did you? Our duty is to Queen and country and we must leave our island paradise and return to Old Blighty."

More murmurs and whispers.

"I know a few of you have thought to put down roots, maybe start a family. I won't say it will be easy because I don't believe in lying to my troopers. I have the utmost faith Her Majesty's Navy will make every accommodation to wives and children. That said, make your preparations now, rather than later. It will lessen the shock and ease the burden of transition if your families know right away we must depart. Dismissed!"

He watched the Marines mill about the parade grounds for a few minutes before they broke off to their respective homes or barracks. He then sat heavily on a park bench overlooking the sea, head in hands. He felt more than noticed as someone sat beside him.

"It weighs heavily on His Imperial Majesty that you must depart," Kage said somberly. "Please understand, he holds no grudge or ill will against you. He understands completely the position you are in and respects that you must return home."

"It's no matter to me," Blake sighed. "I made a home in the Marines a long time ago, my one true love. It's the lads I am concerned about."

"Oh?"

"We've more or less come to think of this as home," Blake explained. "We understood that 'someday' was always far off," Blake air quoted the word. "Now that 'someday' here, the reality that we are once again off into the unknown will hit hard. Several of my men have already married or are planning to and I am very much pained to see families torn apart like this."

"Were you in a situation like this?" Kage asked. "If I am prying, please forgive me."

Blake fixed his gaze onto the water's edge. "Once, when I was fresh out of training at Lympstone and sent to Plymouth, I met and fell in love with a nice girl, sailor's daughter. Sadly, we were not to be. Her father was reassigned to Bristol not long after and we lost touch."

Kage nodded in understanding.

"But now we will pull up our big-boy pants and once again follow our orders," Blake said and he stood up.

"What…" Kage said, pausing before going on. "What if there was another way?"

Blake frowned as he looked at his friend.

* * *

A/N: Yes I know it's been a long time. Sorry. Even though we have several chapters mostly completed, we both still have mind numbing writer's block. We're working on it is all I can say.

As always please Read, Review, Favorite and Follow.


End file.
